Hyderabad, June, 2022: The incidence of sudden deaths from heart failure due to rhythm abnormalities is on the rise.

To treat patients suffering from this condition, Kamineni Hospitals-LB Nagar, Hyderabad, under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Guru Prasad Sogunuru, Senior interventional cardiologist & electrophysiologist, is starting specialty clinics on the occasion of World Heart Rhythm Week (WHRW). The purpose of the clinic is to provide focused attention on people suffering from severe heart disease and provide them best possible treatment. Dr. Anjaiah, Medical Superintendent, Dr. M.R.M Babu, Sr. Consultant Cardiologist, Dr. Sagar Chandra Bhuyar, Sr. Consultant Cardiologist & Dr. A Ravikanth, Consultant Cardiologist participated in the launch event. World Heart Rhythm Week is celebrated from 7th to 13th of June every year to spread awareness of the significance of understanding the pulse, with special focus on recognizing arrhythmias (irregular heart rhythms).

It needs an electrical impulse to start a heartbeat, which can then help the heart pump blood through the body. This electrical impulse fires first in an area of the heart called the sino-artial (S-A) node. The S-A node gives off electrical impulses that make the heart beat 60-100 times per minute under normal conditions. The electrical impulses are relayed along the special conduction system of the heart. This causes the heart muscle to contract evenly, the atria contracting a little earlier than the ventricles.

Too slow or too fast a heartbeat may cause symptoms like dizziness or light-headedness, fatigue, palpitation, shortness of breath, chest pain or pressure, and syncope (fainting). It is hard to predict when these fast or slow heart rhythm disturbances could occur.

Some patients may benefit from valvular repairs, replacements and surgical modification of the left ventricle cavity. More acute heart failure patients could benefit from ventricular assist devices which are essentially pumps that partly or wholly take over the cardiac functions. Latest devices allow for destination therapy, or in other words, support till end of life.

“Kamineni Hospitals, Hyderabad, has a state-of-the art Cath lab, equipped with the latest electrophysiology machinery with 3D anatomic mapping systems. The procedure takes just one hour. It involves no cuts or sutures. Most importantly, it is offered to the common man at an affordable price. Following the procedure, the patient can return home the very next day,” said Prof. Dr. Guru Prasad Sogunuru, Senior interventional cardiologist & electrophysiologist, Kamineni Hospitals, Hyderabad.

“Similarly, if a heart fails and does not recover by routine medication, we have some options like CRT (Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy) pacemakers. This is like making the heart beat with the help of an implanted wire inside the heart. Some patients may be benefited by stem cell therapy, EECP, etc. For young patients, we can do heart transplantation, while for older patients (more than 65 years) we can implant an artificial heart. This is a kind of small machine that can pump blood from the heart, offering rest to the heart muscles when it’s weak. So, we have a number of options to treat or cure many of the heart diseases even when the heart fails,” added Dr. Guru Prasad.