Be Mindful with Healthy Heart in Dashain

How often patient come to visit you at Ganga Lal Hospital?
Old and new patients come for visit. Most heart disease last for longer time duration. Daily 500-600 patients from which 40% are new patients and 60% are follow up patients. Age groups from newborn to 90-100 years old come to Gangalal Hospital. Heart diseases are various types. Prevalent disease are high blood pressure, rheumatic fever and heart disease, heart attack, irregular heart beatings, hereditary heart disease, Cardiomyopathy -heart muscle disease that makes it difficult for heart to pump and other types of heart disease which are less visible. These patients come to visit for getting treatment in our hospital.

In Nepal what is the status of heart functioning of common people as a whole?
We have all kinds of heart diseases in Nepal. Common heart problem that is apparent worldwide is seen in Nepal also. Last 15 years there has been a revolution in the treatment of heart disease. Now Nepal has all the technical tools for diagnosis which are available in countries abroad. The cost of treatment of heart disease is relatively expensive. Earlier people who couldn’t afford the professional help and treatment died untimely. Mortality was high. Now with remittance inflow and foreign employment people have become financially stronger. Government has also decided to help significantly for the heart surgery/operation. As a result people have more access for better treatment at hospitals.

How much does it cost for operation?
It entirely depends upon the nature of disease. It can range from NPR 25000 TO NPR 5 Lakh. For the operation of a young boy or girl below 15 years government has made free of cost. Rheumatic heart disease patients will bear very few cost, it will be government’s prerogative that they are treated at minimum cost. Grants worth NPR 1 Lakh for the underprivileged are provided by the government which people have used.

What is the cause of heart disease?
There are various type of heart disease. Heart attacks occur due to excess consumption, it was found in affluent class but even middle and lower level suffer from this disease. Tobacco is detrimental to heart. Oily food, obesity due to overweight, lack of exercise, mental stress, hereditary level is the causes of heart disease. Rheumatic fever from throat infection leads into heart disease. Not only in festivities but generally people must stop tobacco based products completely. Consume less quantity of red meat. Remove skin and fat if you have to eat meat products and stick to the limits. Oily, sugar coated foods shouldn’t be consumed for heart patient.

Students are facing heart disease and problems. Is it due to tension and anxiety?
Stress and heart disease doesn’t have direct linkage. If someone is always in stress then after he reach certain age he can have high blood pressure. If someone has throat infection during childhood then he must be treated on time. College students who fall in bad habit take toxic substance that leads to heart problems. Drinking must be on lower scale.  Red meat has been researched by scientist and doctors and it is not bad as it was expected. Red meat boosts cholesterol levels. It is not healthy diet.

Dashain is approaching, tell us how much meat we can consume for staying healthy in Dashain?
Fish and chicken, maybe once or twice a week. Red meat, perhaps once or twice in a month without using internal organs,must be properly cooked and fresh stock of meat and poultry should be used.

Any piece of advice to younger generations?
Don’t use tobacco based products and other toxic substance that is harmful for health. Younger generation are lazy they don’t do regular exercise; sleep for late hours, not going at walks this habit must be corrected. Brisk walking once a day and physical fitness is a must for healthy heart.