New drugs, devices and technologies are very promising in CVD management

By FnF Correspondent | PUBLISHED: 18, Jan 2020, 12:15 pm IST | UPDATED: 20, Jan 2020, 17:57 pm IST

Delhi: CVDs are responsible for 273 million deaths per million population in India, higher than the global rate of 235 million. While India is currently the diabetic capital of the world, it is predicted that by 2025, India will also be the global CVD capital. Indians are genetically more prone to cardiovascular diseases owing to factors like high LDL (low-density lipoproteins), small lipoprotein (a) levels, genetic factors like hypoglycemia and low HDL levels. Besides, in terms of adopting preventing measures also, we are slow. This can lead to bigger risks in future.

The last ten years have been really promising as far as CVD treatment is concerned. We have new drugs, new devices and new technology. In terms of drugs, we have good blood thinners nowadays, where if you put a stent or if a patient is not on stent on medical management, they do well. We have medicines for diabetes which are being used for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. These medicines also lower chances of heart failure hospitalization. Other very promising drugs like SGLT Inhibitors are effective too.

We have new innovative devices like leadless pacemakers which don't require a lead to be placed in the vein in the heart. A small leadless, bullet-like device is placed instead which paces the heart for 25 years. There are also minimally invasive procedures. Earlier we used aortic valve implantation that involved cutting the sternum and replacing the valves for open-heart surgeries.

which doesn't require opening the chest. Instead, we go through the groin where femoral arteries are punctured. Through this hole, the device is taken to the heart, and we place it inside the diseased valve, and this new valve works wonderfully.

Initially, even the patient used to stay for 6-7 days after the surgery, now they are staying only for 24-48 hours. Coming to terminal cases, heart transplantation and artificial hearts have come up. Now, if someone can afford and is within the medical limits where we can put an artificial heart, they can have a good life with around 85-90% survival rate with good artificial hearts. So this is really promising.