How To Prevent Heart Diseases

We often overhear about a seemingly healthy person passing away from an unanticipated heart stroke. one doesn’t know what’s going on in their body and in what ways it can contribute to the illness unknowingly. It’s extremely essential to start taking care of your health. Heart diseases have become a significant cause of deaths in India, and there is a crying need for spreading awareness about it. We have listed down a few measures to prevent heart diseases and lead a healthy life.

Maintaining A Healthy Weight

Obesity poses an influential risk of heart disease as it manipulates your triglyceride and cholesterol levels. Diabetic people are a majority in the population of those who suffer from heart illnesses. Try adopting a healthy lifestyle by cutting down sugar and eating the right amount of greens. It is important to not let obesity come your way as it makes way for numerous other diseases.

Controlling Blood Pressure

Any individual, irrespective of age, should get their blood pressure checked regularly, if not very frequently, at least once in a year. It’s the fluctuating blood pressure that triggers most of the heart problems. If you are already suffering from heart illness, you should be in constant touch with the top heart hospital near you and keep their contact handy.

Exercise Regularly

Going for a run every morning or partaking in any kind of physical activity for an hour a day improves the blood circulation in your body, and your arteries function well. In this way, blood pressure can be maintained at an optimum level, and hence, the risk of heart diseases is reduced.

Get Enough Sleep

When you don’t stick to your proper seven-hour sleeping schedule, your body drains out, and you keep feeling exhausted all the time. It contributes to high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity. If you have irregular sleep conditions, contact the best heart hospitals in Kolkata, India, and for that matter, any heart hospital located in major cities.

Quit Alcohol Consumption And Smoking

Alcohol affects your body negatively in many ways. It makes you gain weight, increases blood pressure, and contributes to organ failure. Similarly, smoking causes the accumulation of harmful substances in the arteries and restricts blood flow. It is also one of the leading factors for coronary heart diseases, strokes, and attacks.

The cardiologists at ILS Hospitals handle multiple cardiological subspecialties. These include, but not limited to the followings:

Cardiac arrhythmia – Persistent irregular heartbeat, which is either too fast or too slow. It is of 2 types, more than 100 beats per minute are called tachycardia and below 60 beats per minute is called bradycardia.

Coronary artery disease, or ischemic heart disease – it includes diseases like stable angina, myocardial infarction, unstable angina, and sudden cardiac death.

Cardiac arrest – a sudden failure of heart contraction that leads to the stoppage in the effective blood flow.

Hypertension – Persistent high blood pressure in the arteries reaching the heart. A prolonged condition can lead to coronary artery disease, vision loss, chronic kidney disease, stroke, heart failure.

Congenital heart defect – Presence of a defective heart since the time of the birth. The consequences can vary from none to life-threatening.

Keeping a close watch on your heart and getting checked regularly is a need of the hour. If not discovered at an early stage, the heart-related problems could become a fatal and substantial risk to your life. Find out the top heart hospitals near you and visit them once in a while as a precautionary measure. If you live in a rural area, get yourself equipped with contacts of big hospitals so that in the time of need, you won’t have to wander cluelessly and know what to do right away. For example, if you live somewhere in the northeastern part, locate the best heart hospitals in Kolkata, India, as it is the nearest metro city and contact www.ilshospitals.com in case of any emergency.

Food Habits To Be Followed Post Angioplasty

Your diet after angioplasty needs to be paid extra attention for quick recovery. If you have an angioplasty, you need to make certain changes to your diet and lifestyle.

(Get cardiac emergency care from the best medical emergency centre in Kolkata)

Today, ILS Hospitals, one of the best hospitals in Kolkata and Agartala will tell you what you can and cannot consume after an angioplasty procedure.

Include,

Lots of fruits and vegetables 

Now is the perfect time to consume plenty of fruits and vegetables to recover faster. Eat fruit and vegetable salads or preferably boiled and mashed fruits and vegetables after angioplasty to get the ultimate nutrition.

Healthy fluids

Ensure that you drink healthy fluids throughout the day. Apart from plain water, you can drink healthy vegetable and chicken soups, fruits and vegetable juices, and coconut water to receive sufficient hydration.

Whole grains

Consume whole grains, like brown rice, oats, buckwheat, quinoa, barley, and so on.

Lean meat

Instead of red meat, opt for leaner options of meat, like fish, chicken, turkey, etc.

Legumes and lentils 

Make sure that your diet post angioplasty contains vital legumes, such as chickpeas, kidney beans, black-eyed peas, soybeans, and lentils.

Nuts and seeds 

You should not forget the importance of wholesome nuts and seeds after angioplasty. Eat soaked and peeled almonds, cashews, peanuts, pecans to get the goodness of nuts. Do consume seeds of sunflower, pumpkin, and sesame if possible.

Exclude,

Sugary foods

Avoid sugar and sugary foods, that includes sweets, desserts, and chocolates. If avoiding is not entirely possible then try to reduce its intake.

Fried and fatty foods

Fried and fatty foods need to be strictly avoided post stent procedure. Tell the one who is preparing your food to use less oil in your meals.

Spicy foods

Avoid excessive spices and chillies in your meals as consuming such things can interfere with your medications and hence recovery.

Alcoholic beverages

Alcohol or alcoholic beverages must not be consumed after angioplasty.

For a speedy recovery post angioplasty, follow the above-mentioned things, take plenty of rest, have your medicines on time, and follow up with your cardiologist. If you are searching for a hospital in Kolkata and Agartala for your angioplasty procedure, consider the name of ILS Hospitals. Our hospital units in Kolkata and Agartala are well-equipped with the latest technology, facilities, and expert medical professionals who will guide you throughout the procedure.

Are You More Susceptible To Heart Attacks If You’re A Man? Let’s Discuss

A distressing fact to convey is that heart attacks are getting more common in our country. The prevalence is strong among men as they get their first heart attack at a younger age compared to women. We do not imply that women cannot get a heart attack. Women usually deals with severe heart attacks after menopause. For any heart-related conditions, the respective person should visit the best heart hospital as the heart deserves timely and appropriate medical supervision. In this blog, we will discover why men are at more risk when it comes to heart attacks. The heart’s anatomy of men and women differ from each other. Women have smaller hearts than men and have finer veins, the response to stressful events of both the gender is contrasting as well. When a man encounters a stressful situation, his blood pressure levels rise, whereas in case of women, instead of blood pressure, we find an increase in the pulse rate which makes her heart to pump more blood. It is interesting to know that symptoms of heart attack are distinct for both the genders as well.

The primary reason that shields women from heart attacks at an early age is the presence of female hormone estrogen, the levels of estrogen drops when a woman enters or is about to enter her menopausal phase. However, after menopause, the risk of women getting a heart attack escalates, so women at the age-group of 50 – 60s should take special care of themselves.

We have discovered that the fault lies in the hormones, which makes men more susceptible to heart attacks. Though there’s a greater chance of men getting a heart attack, surely, not all men might get one in their lives. Let’s find out apart from your gender, are there any other risk factors?

So, what factors contribute to cause heart attacks in men? Read the points below to find out if you’re at a risk of experiencing a heart attack:

  • High blood pressure or hypertension

  • High blood cholesterol

  • Diabetes

  • Previous cardiovascular conditions

  • Chronic stress

  • Obesity

  • Consumption of alcohol

  • Smoking

  • Poor nutrition

  • Inactive lifestyle

  • Social isolation

  • Genetics.

People with underlying cardiovascular conditions should be extra watchful about their health. If you notice symptoms like chest discomfort, abnormal sweating, fatigue and irregular heartbeat, rush to ILS Hospitals, one of the best heart hospitals in Kolkata. Because your heart health matters a lot!

Also read: Why Are Indians So Vulnerable To Heart Diseases?

Angina – Symptoms, Diagnosis, And Treatments

The heart’s functions play an important role in the body. Its malfunctions can lead to major medical threats. Heart attack and cardiac arrest count as cardiac emergencies and should be addressed at the earliest. Often these onsets due to the presence of some long-term unresolved cardiac conditions. Angina is one such underlying heart condition. Let’s understand all its aspects in brief.

Angina is characterized by feeling pain, discomfort or tightness in the chest. It occurs when the cardiac tissues do not get an adequate amount of oxygen.

Symptoms of Angina

Angina is easily recognizable due to the presence of the following symptoms, prominently on the chest region-

  1. Pain
  2. Tightness
  3. Burning Sensation
  4. Heartburn
  5. Pain that spreads to jaws, neck, shoulder or back

It can also be accompanied by secondary symptoms such as weakness, indigestion, nausea, cramping, sweating, etc. These discomforts may last in between a few minutes to several hours.

Angina

Diagnosis Of Angina

An accurate diagnosis of angina is crucial to resolve it for good. The following diagnostic approaches are carried out to diagnose angina and its degree of severity.

  1. Stress Test – It monitors the activity of heart performing under duress. It is estimated while the patient is in between physical stress.
  2. Chest X-ray – This imaging technique shows the structures inside the heart to look for the possible cause of the setting angina.
  3. Coronary Angioplasty – It uses special dye and x-ray technique to visualize the inside of the coronary arteries.
  4. Electrogram – It uses special equipment to record the electric activity of the heart to trace the amount of the oxygen it is getting.

Apart from these, the expert cardiologist or the pathologist will look for blood profile screening to evaluate the level of cholesterol and other factors. It often also involves evaluating family history and personal history.

Angina

Treatment Of Angina

The treatment approach of angina aims to treat the pain, ease symptoms, and discomfort, it also minimizes its chances of causing more severe threats in the future. It includes several lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking, losing weight, keeping cholesterol levels in check, dealing with stress effectively and other measures. However, often several medications are also advised to keep blood pressure profile in check. In fact, nowadays, coronary angioplasty and bypass are recommended for many patients dealing with persistent angina.

Angina itself is not a medical threat, but it is unwise to leave it untreated.

Importance Of Cath Lab and Cardiac Catheterization

Cardiac Catheterization Lab is an advanced diagnostic room equipped with several apparatus, which can help the technician to visualize the structure and condition of the arteries along with the chambers of the heart in order to detect the presence (and extent) of any abnormality. Let us understand its importance in details.

Cardiac Catheterization is a non-invasive procedure that uses a thin, hollow cannula to penetrate through blood vessels reaching the heart. The procedure involves using a contrast dye, and its effect can be seen through an x-ray imaging simultaneously. As this procedure uses a blood vessel originating from the wrist or leg towards the heart, it causes no trauma to the heart and its surrounding tissues at all. Thus, it is becoming a very popular diagnostic approach these days.

It is a crucial diagnostic approach for heart conditions involving a defect in cardiac muscle, coronary arteries or cardiac valves. It measures blood flow to the heart as well. During the cardiac catheterization, the pressure in all 4 chambers of the heart is also measured effectively. Simultaneously, some blood sample can be collected to evaluate the optimum oxygen level in each chamber along with the pumping capability of the heart. Apart from detecting any defect in the structure of the heart, it can also extract a small sample of cardiac tissue for biopsy.

Coronary angioplasty is performed during cardiac catheterization. Coronary angioplasty is a medical procedure that uses a catheter to resolve clogged arteries. It might use the inflating action of a balloon as well (a process is known as balloon angioplasty). Often it also employs the usage of a stent to stop the recurring of the problem in the future.

Being non-invasive in nature, it offers many advantages over its alternatives invasive procedure. Cardiac catheterization is extremely safe and involves almost no risk (only mild bruising on the puncture site). A few people might encounter some metabolism issue or itchy skin for a short period due to swallowing of the contrast dye, but it can be fixed with mild medication.

We, at ILS Hospitals, are proud to say that we have the first Cath lab in the north Kolkata. Our facility with this advanced diagnostic screening and expert technician offers the best treatment to people, suffering from several types of cardiac conditions.

To avail the Cath lab facility, contact ILS Hospitals Dum Dum at 033-40315000/01.

Adapt These 7 Healthy Habits to Keep Heart Disease at Bay

Heart ailments are one of the major causes of death all over the world. To address its importance, we observe the World Heart Day every 29th September. On this occasion, the Internet starts flooding with articles on various aspects of heart and cardiac emergencies and best heart hospitals. On behalf of the ILS Hospitals, we offer 5 effective tips regarding our very own pumping device, the heart.

Read more – 5 most common heart ailments explained by cardiologists in Kolkata

1. Say Goodbye To The Smoke

No matter if you smoke regularly or ‘only to deal with stress’, it causes plaque to build up in the arteries and can cause a heart attack in the future. Try to quit it this year itself for a better heart and overall health.

World Heart Day

2. Attain A Healthy Body Weight

Do all you can to have a healthy body weight. A proportionate body ensures uniform blood circulation and mitigates the chances of having high blood pressure, up to a large extent. Moreover, the normal body weight will help you keep obesity-associated illness at bay, as a surplus.

World Heart Day

3. Manage Your Stress

Let it be work related or family oriented, stress buildup is kind of inevitable in today’s world. Prolonged stress can cause high cholesterol and eventually towards an untimely cardiac emergency.

World Heart Day

4. Eat And Live Healthy

Adapt a better diet and lifestyle to keep heart diseases away for good. Include lots of fresh veggies and fruits along with whole grains, low fat and lean proteins is a good start. Moreover, start exercising the at least 5 days in a week to keep the heart strong and healthy.

World Heart Day

5. Avail Cardiac Screening

Almost every cardiac emergency have some symptoms that stay noticeable over a period of time. Addressing it at the right time can prevent many cardiac emergencies. On this World Heart Day, avail ‘Cardiac Care health check-up package’ at a discounted rate from all the units of ILS Salt Lake, ILS Dum Dum and ILS Agartala. It will help you detect underlying cardiac ailments if any.

World Heart Day

World Heart Day

So, adapt as many of them as you can, to have a healthy heart and an overall healthy living ahead.

In case, you are already experiencing some cardiac discomfort and assuming it is best to accept it as the natural aspect of life, take a break, cause most cardiac emergencies are preventable. Always remember, the golden words said by Jennie Garth rightly said, “It’s never too late to take your heart health seriously and make it a priority.”

An Insight of Surgeries Carried Out in ILS Hospitals

In this era, we have advanced technology for most of the things around us. However, even the best medication cannot resolve every illness. Thankfully, we have surgical treatment to address, resolve and cure such illnesses. With the help of the state-of-the-art technology such as the laparoscopic surgery, the remedy is now most effective than ever. Today, we bring insights of surgeries that we carry out in the ILS Hospitals.

At ILS Hospitals, at least 50 percent of the operations we carry out are related to the gastrointestinal tract. Most of our patient had a history of chronic indigestion, constipation and another digestive issue for a significant period of time. Indeed, the occurrence of digestive complication is on a constant rise since the introduction and commercialization of the fast food industry. It is often associated along with general surgery, which involves invasive correction of soft tissue and solid organs.

Laparoscopic Surgery

The figure is shortly followed by gynaecologic and obstetrician surgeries. Apart from childbirth surgical procedure, women also seek a surgical cure and care for family planning, and other gynaecological conditions. We also provide treatment and care for women suffering miscarriage or carrying risk pregnancy.

We handle and address significant numbers of orthopaedic surgeries throughout the year. It includes both prescheduled procedures such as total and partial knee replacement, hip joint, etc and emergency procedures such as accidental injury or trauma. Our 24/7 ambulance and ICU contributes a lot towards saving these lives.

As compared to other multispecialty hospitals, we have significant numbers of ENT, dental and eye surgery in our hospitals. In fact, we had carried out a cochlear implant in ILS Agartala unit, one of the rare and leading surgeries carried out in northeast India.

laparoscopic surgery

Cardiac surgery is on a constant rise, not only in ILS Hospitals but at hospitals in every corner of the world. However, we specialize in handling both preschedules heart surgeries and emergency cardiac surgeries. Our patients receive enormous support and care from the expert doctors.

Apart from these, we handle an enormous amount of species in miscellaneous specialties. At ILS Hospitals, we also have several patients seeking a surgical cure for their various urological conditions. We have many patients who chose us for offering laparoscopic surgery for the same. We, at ILS Hospitals, being the pioneer of laparoscopic surgery, offer mostly keyhole operation to our patients. Needless to say, our skilled nurses and staffs stay on guard, round the clock. In case, you or your loved ones need any consultation or surgery, book an appointment with us and secure your health.

Attention Indian Youth! As You Might Be Susceptible To Premature Heart Ailments

Earlier it was said that heartbreak from a romantic relationship was one major reason for heart illness. But, these days, the scenario is quite different. The threat of heart attack is looming over Indian Youth more than it did until a decade ago. This paradigm shift has resulted in Indian youth susceptible to various heart ailments 8-10 years sooner as compared to other ethnic groups from all over the world. As per the statistics collected from some of the best heart hospitals in India, at least 35 percent of the heart patients are under the age of 40. Several cases have been reported where the age of the patient is as young as the early 20s.

Premature heart ailments

Causes and connections for heart ailments

Some of the common causes for these premature heart ailments that have been found are mainly due to family history, personal history of some heart conditions, diabetes /pre-diabetes, excessive stress and unhealthy lifestyle. The genetics root happens to be the most influencing factor when it comes to developing a cardiac ailment. Best heart hospitals have witnessed patients being diagnosed with premature heart ailments, happen to have a parent or sibling with a similar health history. Men are at more risk than women when we compare according to age. Women often show first signs of heart ailment approximately 10 years later than men. However, factors like diabetes in the family, and smoking, may cause, premature heart ailments even in women.

Why are Indian Youths suffering the most?

Indian Youths are somewhat dealing with the dual burden of mental and physical stress. On one hand, due to the cut-throat competitions, they are forced to work exhaustively in order to make a decent living leading to physical exertion and stress. On the other hand, their inability to cope up with the work stress, affect their family life leading to mental stress as well. As a result, the incidents of premature heart attacks are increasing among youth in their years of servitude.

How can Indian youth address it?

Though heart ailments sound scary to deal with, but it can be easily taken care of if preventive measures are taken on time. Heart attack is predominate, not a first-degree illness, meaning it often develops from underlying complications as already mentioned. Thereby, controlling these early warnings can help manage it effectively.

On this International Youth Day, we advise every India youth to take some time out of their busy lives and dedicate the same towards their health. Adequate exercise, quitting alcohol and smoking and leading a healthy lifestyle, often makes change and improve the lifestyle. In case, any symptoms of heart or chest discomfort arises, they are recommended to seek advice from one of the best heart hospitals at the earliest.

When To Seek Medical Treatment For Food Poisoning

Are you feeling severe stomach cramps with nausea and vomiting? Are you rushing to the washroom every 2 minutes? Did you have something for dinner or even lunch or breakfast which could be contaminated? Could be, that you are suffering from food poisoning. It might sound funny to many individuals, but severe food poisoning is also considered as a medical emergency. The word ‘medical emergency’ casts impressions of – elderly man being carried in an ambulance due to heart attack or a punk youth taken to the ER due to road accidents, but it is a much broader scope.

Read more – Symptoms of Cardiac Emergency

It is true that you can treat minor to mild food poisoning with home remedies, adequate rest and over the counter drugs, but you need immediate medical attention to address if it is severe.

Food poisoning is a foodborne condition which occurs when you consume contaminated food or water. The severity and symptoms vary depending upon your immunity, strength and the pathogen you got infected with. Usually, it starts within a few hours after you eat the contaminated food, but it can also take a few days to weeks in some cases. The symptoms you will usually feel are nausea, vomiting, fever, fatigue, dehydration, dry mouth, lose motion etc.

However, in case you have symptoms such as feeling disoriented, dizziness, low blood pressure, high fever with chills, palpitations, breathing trouble, severe vomiting/diarrhoea, hazy vision, blood in vomit or stool, loss of urination, dark-coloured urine along with severe cramps, then you are going through severe food poisoning. If it is not addressed timely, it may cause a life-threatening crisis such as severe dehydration or even an organ damage.

After your preliminary check-up, your doctor will determine the exact treatment approach. Ideally, you will have to receive IV fluids and electrolytes along with antibiotics to boost your body functions. Moreover, the doctors will keep a close eye on the condition of the body temperature, blood pressure, kidney and nerve functions.

Needless to say, a timely cure will ensure proper recovery with no long-term complications. So, if you or any of your loved one is showing symptoms of the same, get in touch with our ER team and ensure your health and recovery.

The cases of food poisoning are quite common during the monsoon. You are hereby, recommended to avoid untreated water, unwashed food, raw or poorly cooked food, pre-cut fruits/vegetables, roadside food etc, particularly during monsoon.

5 Common Habits That is Damaging Your Heart

We all know that eating a healthy diet and exercising regularly are important habits for a healthy heart. However, did you know that some surprisingly common habits have the potential to ruin all your efforts? It can lead to cardiac emergency and it would only be possible for hospitals that can save your life.

A number of activities that we do casually can have a negative impact on heart health. Let us know how these 5 common habits play major roles in damaging the heart and make us seek the best heart hospitals for treatment purpose.

1. Sitting All Day Long

Cardiac Emergency

People leading inactive lifestyle have double the risk of developing some of the other forms of cardiac ailments as compared to those who follow an active lifestyle.

If you are involved in sitting job and stay chained to the desk all day, then get up and take a five-minute walk after every hour or two. This small tweak in your routine can keep your arteries flexible and blood flowing properly, protecting your heart in a long run.

2. Overindulging in Alcohol

Cardiac Emergency

Drinking occasionally might not lead to any long-term effect, but frequent alcohol consumption is likely to cause high blood pressure, stroke, and obesity, all of which in turn, increase your risk for heart disease. It’s okay to have it once in a while but never regularly.

3. Stressing Too Much

Cardiac Emergency

Persistent stress makes the body to release adrenaline, which temporarily influences the body functions. When your heart rate increases, your blood pressure rises as well. Eventually, too much stress over a prolonged period can damage the heart’s blood and increase the risk for heart attack and stroke.

To minimize the harmful effects of stress, you can try to find a way to release stress. Sharing your feelings by talking with a trusted friend or family member is often helpful. Moreover, exercise can also relieve mental tension

4. Overdoing It on Salt

Cardiac Emergency

Excessive sodium can lead to high blood pressure, a risk factor for heart disease. Be sure to read nutrition labels and compare merchandises, before loading salt packages into your shopping trolley. Choosing the one with the lowest percent daily value for sodium is the best option to stick with.

5. Not Getting Enough Sleep

Cardiac Emergency

Inadequate sleep over a long period of time can lead to cardiovascular illnesses. The stages of sleep that are achieved only during complete sleep cycle throughout the night promotes cardiovascular health.

Chronic sleep deprivation is not only bad for the heart but for the overall health. It is recommended that adults get 7 to 8 hours of sleep each night.

All of these bad habits can make your heart sick, so do not follow your bad habits anymore, and adopt healthy habits instead. You will see the changes in your health, all by yourself.

Read moreFive Most Common Heart Diseases that have been Explained by Cardiologists