Coronavirus Lockdown: Cardiac-related cases decline in Mysuru

With the outbreak of COVID-19, the number of people visiting hospitals over heart-related ailments has drastically come down.

According to cardiologists, mental and physical stress has declined among the people. Besides, owing to healthy habits there is a decline in cases. As per experts, the cases have declined at least by 50% during the lockdown.

Dr K S Sadananda, Medical Superintendent of Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research, Mysuru, said healthy habits among people and less stress has resulted in good cardiac health. “Due to the lockdown, people are not undergoing much physical as well as mental stress. Even pollution rate has declined and a majority of people are undergoing health diet,” he said.

Consumption of tobacco and alcohol result in heart-related issues. But, during lockdown consumption of such products has declined. This has also resulted in a decline of some cases, he says.

In Jayadeva Hospital alone, an average of 40 to 50 patients used to undergo angiogram and 15 to 20 people were being installed stent per day. But now, hardly 10 to 15 people undergo angiogram and six patients are being installed stent. The number of patients visiting the OPD has come down to 100 from 600.

According to Dr Upendra Shenoy, cardiac surgeon, Columbia Asia Hospital, Mysuru, since the lockdown the number of cardiac related cases has come down by more than 50%. By mid of every month, we used to get 10 cardiac related patients on an average. But, during lockdown we have seen three patients, he said.

The health professionals advised the patients to avoid visiting hospitals for routine checkup, unless emergency, to avoid exposure to Covid-19. The patients can continue with the same tablets prescribed by the doctors during previous checkup. It is better to contact doctors over telephone, rather than visiting them, they suggest.

As of now, only emergency cases are being attended and patients with non-emergency are requested to postpone their visit, said Dr Sadananda. Every day, an average 600 people used to come for OPD, but, now it has come down to 100.

However, the hospital authorities are attending to all patients visiting the hospital, the doctor said.