Lucknow: Decline in heart patients amid coronavirus lockdown

During the countrywide lockdown, the number of heart patients in hospitals has reduced drastically. Head of the cardiology department of KGMU Prof V S Narayan attributes this to the absence of transport facilities.

Lucknow: In the wake of the coronavirus lockdown, cardiology hospitals and clinics in Lucknow wear a deserted look. The absence of transportation makes it difficult for patients to come to hospitals, reducing the rate to about 60 per cent.

As against hundreds of heart patients thronging the hospitals earlier, hardly one or two patients, those in critical condition, come to the hospital these days. KGMU's Lari Cardiology Centre, which witnessed at least 650 patients before the lockdown has been closed down.

However, emergency cases are being admitted to the hospital. According to the head of the department of cardiology Dr VS Narayan, "There has been a decline of 60 to 70 per cent in the number of patients after the lockdown."

He said that there can be many reasons for the decline.

"For one, people may not be aware that the cardiology section is open even during the lockdown. The heart patients are more susceptible to infection and so they avoid moving out. The unavailability of transport can also be the reason why less number of patients are coming to the hospital," told Narayan.

Heart specialist and consultant Dr Rajesh Srivastava of Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee hospital said that there has been a decrease in the number of emergency cases after the lockdown.

He said that one of the main reasons for this could be a less stressful life because of which there are fewer incidents of heart attacks. There may also have been an improvement in the food habits of people.

According to cardiologist Dr Aditya Kapoor of Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, "There has been a decline in the number of heart-related cases not only in India but also in foreign countries. In the case of SGPGI, there has been a 70 per cent decline in the number of emergency cases. Even cases of heart attack and blockage have declined."

"According to an American journal, there has been a decline in the number of heart-related patients noticed iin the first month after the outbreak of coronavirus. In the case of Spain, this decline has been noticed by 70 per cent," added Kapoor.

According to Cardiologist Dr Bhuvan Chandra of Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Ayurvedic Institute, "There used to more patients coming from outside districts than from the city. After the lockdown, these patients have started getting treatment in their own towns. Some patients are taking medication after consulting doctors on the phone."

Earlier, patients from Gorakhpur, Faizabad, Barabanki, Basti, Hardoi, Sitapur districts were coming to the Lohia institute.

"There has been a drastic change in the number of patients after the lockdown. On average, 250 patients used to come to the OPD and 8 to 10 emergency patients were admitted every day before the lockdown. After the lockdown, while OPD has been closed down, only three to four emergency cases have come up till now," added Chandra.