Life style
Advanced treatment and management strategies for heart failure
Dr. Lim was invited as a keynote speaker at the Cardiology Symposium, where he addressed the pressing issue of heart failure Dr. Lim shared his expertise on advanced treatment and management strategies for heart failure, shedding light on the latest research practices.
His visit marked a significant contribution to the exchange of knowledge between Sri Lankan and international medical professionals in the field of Cardiology.
Heart failure is a prevalent cardio vascular condition affecting millions globally. It develops when the heart cannot pump blood efficiently, leading to a spectrum of health complications. The obvious culprits are unhealthy eating habits and lifestyle.
What role does stress play here?
Dr Lim said “We are what we eat”, and our poor diet has led to a rise in conditions like high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. These are the biggest risk factors for cardiovascular diseases and are often the consequence of an unhealthy lifestyle and diet. Another risk factor is smoking. A smoker has twice the chances of getting a heart attack when compared with a non-smoker. People are also leading a more sedentary lifestyle, which also increases the risk of them developing heart diseases.
Stress plays a major role here since stress can lead to higher blood pressure, higher heart rate. Dr Lim believes that stress does contribute to cardiovascular diseases, although it may be hard to prove this. This is simply because it is difficult to quantify stress and thus determine its impact on our body.
What patients are the most susceptible to heart disease? Does genetics play a major role in determining the health of our heart?
The patients with the risk factors of diabetes, high blood/pressure, high cholesterol as well as the ones who smoke, are the most susceptible to heart disease. determining your cardiovascular health.Genetics, unfortunately also plays a role in determining your cardiovascular health Having a first-degree relative suffering coronary heart disease at a young age predisposes you to also developing it.
Dr Lim Choon maintains prevention is always better than cure. Heart disease, while not 100% preventable, is certainly treatable. We need to start early by being mindful of our lifestyle choices and exercising regularly from a young age. Engaging in moderate forms of exercise for 30 minutes at least five days a week will be enough. We should also go for regular check-ups, to keep track of our blood pressure, cholesterol and sugar levels. It may surprise to know that a heart attack is the number one killer among women One in every deaths is caused by either a heart attack or a stroke says Dr Lim Choon.
Dr. Lim Choon Pin
A heart attack usually starts slowly with mild pain and discomfort ignoring these signs can be fatal says Dr Choon, if you recognise them when they occur and react quickly. A healthy diet can help you fight against cardio-vascular diseases controlling risk factors such as high cholesterol,diabetes and obesity. . Age,family history, lifestyle habits and physical inactivity can also have a negative impact. According to Dr Lim heart attacks occur when the arteries supplying blood to the heart become hardened and narrow blocking the flow. There are warning signs but it can come on suddenly. There are now minimally invasive treatments for heart problems such as stenting, bypass surgery and heart transplant. A coronary angiogram carried out in hospital will detect any blockages in the arteries said the doctor. One of doctor Lim’s sub speciality is heart transplant . Heart transplant is a high risk surgery and reserved for very sick patients with advanced heart failure he said.
Speaking about Covid-19 and heart disease Dr Lim said patients with pre existing heart diseases are at higher risk of developing a serious heart problem,as thier heart muscle function may already be weak or damaged . Any pre existing blood vessel blockage could also lead to a sudden heart attack triggered by the infection and inflammation.
Talking about heart transplant patients, he said after a heart transplant,a patient can live longer and enjoy a better quality of life. But he pointed that life expectancy for patients after a heart transplant is also variable depending on age and other medical issues, In carefully selected patient, a heart transplant is usually the best treatment for heart failure who are fit enough for the operation said Dr Lim He said heart transplant is a surgery to remove a diseased heart from a patient and replace it with a healthy one from an organ donor. Heart transplant can lengthen and improve overall quality of life
He said heart transplant process can be gruelling on some patients. Heart transplant is also a high-risk surgery and is reserved for very sick patients with advanced heart failure. However, a heart transplant can offer a significantly better quality of life, I would encourage all potential heart transplant patients to look to the past thousands of patients who have successfully gone through the surgery for motivation and inspiration.
The rate of heart transplants in the world has reached a plateau in the past 20 years. This is simply due to the limited supply of healthy donor organs. Due to an aging population, greater number of people getting cardiovascular diseases are very common but dr Lim maintains better survival rates are possible now due to medical and technological advancements.
One of the most established treatment methods for end-stage heart failure these days is the Ventricular Assist Devices (VAD), otherwise commonly known as an artificial heart pump. Ventrcular assist devices VADs can offer a lifeline to people whose hearts are too weak to meet their needs. Dr Lim said these VAD devices are mechanical pumps that takes over the heart pumping station to the rest of the body. Its a treatment for a weakened heart or heart failure. A VAD may be used to help the heart work while waiting for other treatments, such as a heart transplant . After a surgical implant procedure Sometimes a VAD is used to permanently help the heart pump blood. When placed in the left ventricle, its called a left ventricle assist device LVAD, This device provides a constant flow of blood from the heart to to the body.
Dr Lim said these pumps are reccomended for people whose hearts are too weak to meet thier demands. A VAD can bring notable positive change to your life including an increase in survival and an improved quality of life.The VAD is implanted into the heart and its key function is to pump blood out of the heart to the rest of the body. With a VAD patients have an 80% chance of surviving, and after this surgical implant procedure, most people experience notable symptom imorovements and better quality of that lasts for years.
A good quality of life is possible after the successful operation of implanting this pump explains Dr. Lim.
Ventricular assist devices or artificial heart pumps have been invented to support a badly damaged heart and help cardiac function. Of course, heart transplantation can also be an option, but with long waiting periods, and limited donor pools, not to mention these electronic rescuers help about 80 percent of patients to survive the long wait for a donor heart.
“Ventricular assist devices, in particular, are what’s exciting in the field of heart failure. It is basically a heart in a box,” comments Dr Lim. The device simply pumps blood from the lower chambers of the heart to the rest of the body and is especially useful to patients with an advanced case of heart failure, ultimately saving their lives. These devices have become smaller and more durable in the past decade and the risks of the surgery have also reduced significantly in recent years.
The age-old advice of prevention being better than treatment is a stand alone truth that can never be refuted, and it all starts with a simple acknowledgment, “I need to take a look at my heart.”