BENGALURU: As Covid deaths hover around 1.2 million worldwide and heart-related fatalities account for about 20 per cent of all such deaths in the state, there is concern as heart-related ailments are on the rise.
On the increasing number of heart-related deaths, Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar said, “The government’s blueprint is ready for quality treatment and to reduce cardiovascular-related deaths.’’Chairman, cardio thoracic surgery, Fortis Group of Hospitals, Dr Vivek Jawali, said, “In Covid-linked complications, the final cause of death is always cardiac arrest.
We need to be careful and not consider all Covid deaths as heart-related and look at the pathology. One of the most common heart symptoms of Covid is palpitations caused by sinus tachycardia. The other side-effects are coronary and pulmonary artery clots leading to heart attacks and pulmonary embolism; cardiomyopathy, which weakens the heart muscles; and collection of fluid in the peri-cardial cavity which tends to strangulate the heart.” Dr Sudhakar said, “The basic infrastructure will be ramped up at Jayadeva hospitals in Bengaluru, Mysuru and Kalaburagi.
The number of beds at Jayadeva hospital Bengaluru will be increased from 700 to 1,000. It will be the largest heart care hospital in the country. A fully-equipped 350-bed hospital will be built at a cost of Rs 50 crore in collaboration with the Infosys Foundation.’’He said, “Jayadeva Hospital in Mysuru, which is treating people from Mysuru, Mandya, Chamarajanagar, Hassan and Kodagu districts, is facing a lot of pressure.
We are increasing the bed capacity to 400 and setting up another operation theatre. To cater to the Kalyana-Karnataka region, a branch of Jayadeva hospital has been opened on the third floor of JIMS Hospital. A new building will be constructed soon.’’