BENGALURU: In a month’s time, Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research, Bengaluru, will provide ECG (electrocardiogram) equipment to 10 taluk hospitals in Kalaburagi, along with training in medical management of heart attacks. Cloud technology will be used for physicians and doctors in these hospitals to send reports to cardiologists in Jayadeva Hospital, Kalaburagi branch.
“There is a perception in semi-urban and rural areas that cases of heart attack must be dealt with only by cardiologists. During such time, physicians may not be confident to administer thrombolysis (clot dissolving medicine) that can buy time until the patient is shifted for angioplasty in a tertiary hospital. Doctors in 10 taluk hospitals will be trained in protocol to manage heart attacks,” said Dr C N Manjunath, Director, Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research.
“Once the ECG is done and if the doctor is in a dilemma, data can be transferred through cloud regarding patient symptoms, ECG recording etc to get an opinion from a cardiologist in our branch in Kalaburagi,” he said, adding that for every 30 minutes of delay, the risk of death increases by 7 per cent.
This initiative is being done to reduce mortality rate and ensure treatment is done before the upper limit of six hours. Angioplasty and stenting is not always possible in smaller hospitals as they lack the equipment for it. However, they can administer thrombolysis that will dissolve the clot and keep the arteries flowing. And 24-48 hours can be bought for angioplasty to be performed.
In semi-urban and rural areas, the fear of getting blamed by patients’ families for death also reduces the confidence of doctors to take in such cases. They end up referring them to bigger hospitals, causing precious time to be lost. There is a 25 percent risk of death if thrombolysis medicine is not given, the director explained.
Physicians and doctors will be trained in the protocol and the project will take off in a month’s time. This hub and spoke model will later be expanded to 10 smaller hospitals each in Mysuru and Bengalur..
Dr K S Ravindranath, Professor of Cardiology at Jayadeva, said, “Smaller hospitals do not have cath labs needed for angiograms and angioplasty. Time is critical, and if we open the heart late, it will become weak. Doctors here may not have practical experience and hence shy away from administering thrombolysis that reduces mortality by 4-5%. Consulting an expert then will help them clear any confusion they have post ECG.”