National News

ISLAMABAD, Feb 23 (APP):Assistant Professor of Cardiology at Pakistan Institution of Medical
Sciences (PIMS) Dr Syed Nasir Ali Friday urged the public to adopt
the habit of pre-screening for cardiovascular disease to avoid the
stents due to which citizens have to bear the heavy expenses.
In an Interview with APP he said due to increased number of heart
patients it was imperative to sensitize people to adopt healthy
dietary habits and ensure daily exercise.
The use of fast food, cold drinks, smoking, working in smoking
environment and double jobs were major reason of cardiac and
hypertension diseases, he added.
Responding to a question he said stents were needed to be deployed
only when there persists 75 percent hindrance in the flow of blood to
heart.
He also identified remedies through drug treatment and chemical
therapy where stents can be avoided in some certain cases.
He negated that the doctors are installing stents unnecessarily to the
patients for financial gains. “It is not a blind procedure as patient
is being provided with recordings after surgery and it can be counter
checked from other doctors,” he clarified.
On rumors about fake stents, he said, major beneficiaries of this
negative campaign were quacks enticing patients toward drug treatment.
“Because without this procedure the patients have to take medicines
for a long period of life” he added.
The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) was live to the issue and
banning substandard/unregistered stents sold in the market, he added.
He said a single stent costs Rs 100,000-1, 50,000 to entitled patients
while private hospitals had their own packages.
“Patients must go through appropriate post surgery treatment including
proper care and strictly following doctors’ prescriptions to avoid
procedural flaws.
“Men are more prone to heart diseases as compared to women due to
presence of protected hormones against cardiac diseases”, he added.