‘Lifestyle Changes for Heart Attack Prevention’ ,says world renowed cardiologist Dr. U Kaul

Srinagar, Sep 30:  World Renowned Senior cardiologist Prof (Dr.) Upendra Kaul on Thursday implored valley-ites to cut down on flour based breads,rice and increase intake  of green vegetables and fruits in their daily diet.

Dr Kaul was addressing the audience during an event commemorating World Heart Day 2021, during which the Gauri Healthy Heart Project (GHHP), J&K, an initiative of the Gauri Kaul Foundation also released its annual report.

Speaking on the ocassion, Dr. Kaul said, “There are best natural fruits and vegetables grown in valley , but people prefer to eat mutton ,rice and flour based bread instead .Consuming  green vegetables,fresh fruits ,  30-40 minutes of daily exercise or 10000 steps for five times a week can reduce the  chances of heart attacks .”

High cholestrol,Diabetes, High BP,Stress are the  four indicators that increase the chances of heart disease, stressed Dr Kaul. The best way to stay healthy is to make changes in our lifestyle.Highlighting the need for getting health checkups done, Dr. Kaul said, “There is a need for preventive health checkups, which is very less seen in Kashmir. Healthy people should come forward for medical checkups so that they get rid of heart complications.”

Dr. Kaul, who is also the founder of Gauri Healthy Heart Project (GHHP),  said that GHHP  is an ambitious project, the main objective of this project  is to minimise heart attacks in Kashmir by 2025 ,create awareness and educate people about the prevention of heart problems and optimize the treatment of the patients with cost-effective and evidence- based cardio protective management.

Dr Kaul said that it all started a year ago when he would hear incidents of sudden heart attacks in youngesters in valley.  It prompted me and my team to come up with this project,” Dr Kaul said.

Named after my beloved mother Gauri Kaul, the project primarily aims at educating people about prevention from heart diseases and optimizing their treatment according to novel evidence-based medicine” Dr Kaul said.

Dr Kaul further said that they will continue to go to different areas of J&K, create awareness and impart education to people about modifiable risk factors that would help them in preventing cardiac arrests in the region.

“We will also optimize the treatment of patients who already are taking medicines for high blood pressure, diabetes, and other heart problems with newer medicines that have preventive properties for the heart,” the senior cardiologist said.

He said they are hopeful that they will replicate the tele-cardiology model at other remote areas.

“We believe that everyone has the right to good health and as such we will try to cater to the population living in far-flung areas under our project,” he said.

Dr. Kaul said “Cardiac bio-markers” is a non-invasive and quick blood investigation to detect and diagnose heart problems instantly.

“The routine ECG that we do in all patients in the camps, we will use biomarkers to detect cardiac diseases. COVID-19 affects most organ systems and so does it with the heart. We will also focus on post COVID complications of the heart,” he said.

The senior cardiologist said in continuing our collaboration with them, they will closely work with them especially for the health of the youth and elderly population of Jammu and Kashmir. We are soon coming up with Gauri Kaul Research Institute which will be an academic and research wing of the Gauri Kaul Foundation, he informed.

Dr. Kaul said the research initiative would help us in understanding the causative factors and the pattern of cardiac involvement in youth and other patients more clearly and academically.

“We are also taking care of heart of elderly patients, we are focusing on providing holistic treatment to them under our Gauri Old Age Mission,” he said.

 Dr. Kaul said the main objective of the project is to create awareness and educate people about the prevention of heart problems and optimize the treatment of the patients with cost-effective and evidence-based cardio-protective management.

“Majorly there were only 8-9 factors which are behind the 90 percent heart attacks including the presence of cholesterol, high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, and psychosocial tress are important factors behind the rising heart attacks in the Valley,” he said.

He said the vital step the foundation has done over the past year was to visit remote areas where they started tele-medicines. Interestingly the theme of world health day was to get digital health for the well being of people as much as possible. We have done it earlier.

He said on 15 October, in Machil Kupwara, the foundation will start the Cardiology Unit along with Ambulance. It will be managed by the Army as they have already given 4 internet lines to the unit, he said.

While another Cardiology Unit will be set up in Jaggati Camp in Jammu and it will be functional in November. It was done under the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) fund of Indian Oil, he said.

Dr. Kaul said from the past year, several free heart camps have been conducted in remote areas across the length and breadth of Jammu and Kashmir. Besides numerous CMEs, other academic programs have also been conducted, he added.

Additional Chief Secretary, Atal Duloo, who was Chief Guest on the occasion appreciated the efforts of Dr U. Kaul and his team for the endeavor. He also spoke about various components of early detection, consultation, and providing the much-needed services to reach remote geographic areas and the needy people.

On the occasion, DC Srinagar, Ajaz Asad said, “Gauri Healthy Heart Project is the leaf in the right direction. Our wishes are with all such efforts.”

Noted Kashmiri poet and satirist, Zareef Ahmad Zareef, in his speech said, “Mother is a shadow that provides and protects the child. It stays forever. A mother whose son is Dr U Kaul is as blessed for the offspring as she is for the community.”

CEO GHHP Ajaz Rashid thanked all the stakeholders who have contributed to making the project successful.