Chandigarh, 25th August 2018: Fortis Hospital, Mohali unveiled a SENIORSFIRST Privilege Card at a health camp for senior citizens here today. On this occasion, Dr H K Bali, Director, Cardiology, Fortis Hospital, Mohali delivered a talk organized for members of Chandigarh Senior Citizens Association.
Speaking on the development in the diagnosis and interventional cardiology, Dr Bali said, “Most heart diseases in elderly patients can be diagnosed and treated as well as younger patients. He also said that quite often, senior citizens have additional medical problems like kidney disease, chronic respiratory diseases, old paralytic strokes and hematological problems. These co-morbidities make management of diseases a challenge and quite often a multi-disciplinary approach is required.”
India has a very significant ageing population. This reflects positively for our healthcare policies. Over last 30 years, life expectancy has increased by 10 years. Elderly people are prone to heart disease more than their younger colleagues. Heart diseases present quite often in a subtle manner in these senior citizens. Symptoms are either absent or atypical so diagnosis is a challenge. Dr Bali made senior citizens aware of subtle signs of heart attack to a gathering of senior citizens.
Dr Bali further added, “All senior citizens should undergo regular cardiac check-up for early diagnosis of heart diseases. In the last 10 years, we have treated more than 200 patients above age of 80 years with heart disease with angioplasty and stenting. 10% of these patients were over the age of 90 years. Most of them are leading a healthy and active life. I advise you to consider old age positively and seek medical help to avail of advances in cardiology.”
He also said that now heart valves can also be replaced without surgery and this is a boon for elderly patients. Even patients of heart failure can be managed with heart failure devices. The President of Chandigarh Senior Citizens Association, Mr IP Puri, expressed his gratitude Dr HK Bali for educating the seniors about heart health. Mrs Kulwant Dhaliwal, Patron, was also thankful to Fortis Hospital, Mohali for launching this privilege card.
