12 Sep 2018

  Appropriate nutrition, exercise, management of stress and adequate sleep are critical to anyone’s life, says cardiologist, Dr Kiran Bhagat. 

In an interview, Dr Bhagat, who recently attended European Congress of Cardiology in Germany, said by adopting simple measures on corrective lifestyle, many conditions could be prevented.

Dr Bhagat pointed out that Botswana, like most countries was affected by both infectious diseases (particularly HIV and AIDS) and non-communicable ones such as heart related diseases. 

He said non-communicable diseases were a result of  rapid transition from a rural or agricultural lifestyle to an industrial and westernised kind of living, adding that the consequence.

He said heart diseases were the cause of death worldwide.

Regarding the cardiology congress, Dr Bhagat, said it came to the fore, that heart attack  was common in industrialised developed world.  

“We already have many of the drugs that were discussed at the congress but our lack of effectiveness is primarily based on an increasing need to make the public aware of the symptoms of a heart attack,” he stated.

He said high blood pressure (hypertension), was principally without symptoms, hence  patients being diagonised late with hypertension disease  complications. 

“One of the lessons learnt in other parts of the world, is to push for early detection by measurement whenever attending  a health facility in order to ensure effective screening,” he noted. 

Dr Bhagat said several studies highlighted the growing incidences of patients’ non-compliance hypertension medication.

Regarding heart-failure, Dr Bhagat noted that there were many patients with this condition in Botswana and primary cause  was uncontrolled high blood pressure.

He nevertheless stated that in the last 30 years, there had been drug developments that  improved patients’ health. 

He also stated that the congress highlighted an exciting additional combination of drugs, including the drug called sacubitril / valsartan that improve even further the long-term outlook of patients with this fatal condition.

Concerning stroke, Dr Bhagat, stated that the meeting focused on rapid detection in the community by educating the public on signs of an impending stroke. 

He further said following detection, there should be rapid evacuation to hospitals with dedicated stroke units to manage the stroke as early as possible, adding that the longer the delay, then a more permanent brain damage occurs. 

He also noted that many papers were presented on best principles of management during a sudden new stroke, drugs to be delivered and subsequent hospital and community led rehabilitation that is required for best outcome. 

Meanwhile Dr Bhagat noted that the public was capable of becoming their own ‘watchdogs’ in the detection and monitoring of different conditions.

He pointed out that the readily available and accessibility of the world of digital media, technology and computers in Botswana presents an exciting possibility for patients including those in remote areas.

He stated that in 2018, the world of digital media, technology and computers have been completely embraced by the field of heart medicine. 

“Its usage by the public; wrist devices that measure heart rate, blood pressure, pulse and calories burned, to mention a few, are now capable of very much more data collection which could be transferred to the respective medical practitioner or health facility and which could alert respective doctors of the need for patients of possible problems”, he noted.

He further said more sophisticated technology was discussed both in the development of smaller and smaller devices implanted into a patient to detect fluid overload, abnormal heart rhythms, saying Botswana may benefit in the future.

Dr Bhagat encouraged the use of small simple devices by the public to detect heart rate, blood pressure, pulse and energy consumed and simple measures of changes in lifestyle.

Dr Bhagat who was one of the only two attendees from Botswana said the event was an important occasion to meet opinion leaders, experts and researchers from around the world. ENDS