Quick help from social media saves man's life

A man was saved from the jaws of death by an app, Cardio Helpline.

Laxman Shetty (name changed) was diagnosed as having heart disease by an angiogram test, three months ago, and was advised intervention.

Due to financial constraints and imminent marriage proposal of his daughter, he postponed the surgery and focused on his daughter’s wedding preparation.

However, his conditioned worsened over the past one week. Symptoms reached a crescendo with frequent requirements for ‘sorbitrate’ (emergency heart medicine) under the tongue. Two days ago, Shetty developed severe pain and he disclosed it to his daughter. At 11:15 pm with no doctors available in the vicinity, the daughter did a search for cardio helpline on social media, Instagram.

That is when she discovered ‘Cardio Helpline’ (9743287599), a 24X7 helpline launched by Dr Padmanabh Kamath from Mangaluru, which helps patients from across the country.

She was asked to rush the patient to casualty at KMC Hospital. Doctors attended within minutes of the arrival of the patient as it was already known on WhatsApp.

After preliminary investigation, including repeat angiogram, the patient was found to have severe blockage in the main tube of the heart.

Shetty underwent successful angioplasty to Left Main (Left main stenting). He is condition is better now.

Dr Padmanbh Kamath, who launched the app Cardio Helpline three months ago, said their motto was to save a life with help of technology and providing help to the needy, especially in remote areas.