Welcome to the land of heart attack

HAPPY HEARTS: Medical director of the Advanced Cardiovascular Institute Dr Ronald Henry (left) laughs while chatting with Guardian life representatives Juliette Jacob-Felician (centre) and Lily Moniz yesterday at The Heart of Health Management breakfast meeting held at the Chamber of Commerce, Westmoorings.
HAPPY HEARTS: Medical director of the Advanced Cardiovascular Institute Dr Ronald Henry (left) laughs while chatting with Guardian life representatives Juliette Jacob-Felician (centre) and Lily Moniz yesterday at The Heart of Health Management breakfast meeting held at the Chamber of Commerce, Westmoorings.

Cardiologist Dr Ronald Henry says with heart disease being the number one killer in this country TT needs a national network to provide emergency angioplasty to save lives.

He was speaking yesterday at The Heart of Health Management breakfast meeting held at the Chamber of Commerce, Westmoorings.

Henry said TT and Guyana lead the Western Hemisphere in heart related-deaths. Asked why the rates were so high locally Henry said it was part lifestyle and part ethnic composition with East Indians having a disproportionate disposition to coronary disease. He added, however, the ethnic divide of heart disease has changed dramatically over the years.

"It don't matter what you look like. It don't matter what your parents look like. If you living here welcome to the land of heart attack."

He said angioplasty was successful in more than 90 per cent of cases but unfortunately the procedure was only available in the private sector locally.

"That is a tragedy."

Henry said with six catheterisation labs, three in the private sector, two at Mt Hope and one in Tobago, there was enough infrastructure and there was also enough expertise, and what was needed was a network for emergency angioplasty in the public sector.

"Is the region and Trinidad too poor for emergency angioplasty?"

Health Minister Terrance Deyalsingh in a telephone interview said the ministry was currently making room to boost up angioplasty services through: refurbishing catheterisation labs at Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex and more than $10 million dollars was being spent; instructing the South West Regional Health Authority board to make investment in catheterisation labs and requests for tender had gone out; and a new central block at the Port of Spain General Hospital will have a catheterisation lab.

Deyalsingh said with these systems implemented and networked when someone presented to the accident and emergency department they can get an angiogram on demand instead of having to be sent to the private sector which meant delays and negative outcomes.

"The ordinary citizen can get world-class cardiac care."

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"Welcome to the land of heart attack"

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