Heart attack can now be detected and controlled easily by using modern technology

Prevalence of heart diseases is increasing and so is mortality associated with it. It is a matter of grave concern that younger generation is getting affected by it at a very early age. Rapid urbanization and faulty lifestyle are the leading causes of this deadly disease.

The quote prevention is better than cure is very apt for this disease. Once you are trapped in the claws of this problem, quality of life rapidly goes down; though different modalities of treatment are available but life is never the same again.

But with the advancement of technology and skills of doctors, approximately 98 percent of heart-attack victims can be saved if the blocked artery is opened quickly by angioplasty. Interestingly, majority of causative factors of heart disease (nearly 80%) are modifiable, and small changes in life style can go a long way in preventing heart disease.
You simply cannot avoid or modify risk factors in 20 percent cases. Risk factors, which are under your control, constitute 80 percent and these are high blood pressure, blood cholesterol, smoking, obesity, lack of physical activity, and diabetes (uncontrolled). These factors, if controlled along with modification in eating habits, regular exercise, and health checkups, lessen the risk of developing heart disease.

Certain predisposing factors like gender (males have higher incidence of heart disease), genetic predisposition, and family history of CAD are non-modifiable factors but they contribute only 20 percent to the possibility of a heart attack. In presence of these non-modifiable factors, one needs to be more cautious to avoid CAD.
As the Indian population is prone to have heart disease and in more severe form due to smaller diameter of heart vessels (coronaries), it becomes absolutely essential to identify the risk factors and if identified as a high risk person, then start monitoring the cardiac parameters early in life.

Symptoms of heart disease range from chest pain, pain in shoulder, jaw, choking, and breathlessness on exertion, to chest discomfort after meals.
Earlier, we used to depend upon ECG, ECHO, TMT, stress thallium, and stress ECHO tests. We have seen many patients, who had heart disease but were found negative on all these tests as accuracy of these tests to identify blockage is <85 percent and they cannot detect <70 percent cholesterol block in the arteries of heart. However, these tests are still important to know the condition of the heart muscle. In the past, the only sure method to detect the risk of angina or heart attack in an individual was coronary angiography, an invasive procedure and an individual without any problem does not like to get an invasive test done. That is why patients with heart disease contact a physician at an advanced stage, which require either angioplasty or bypass surgery. CT coronary angiography, the prefered option
With availability of fast and multi-slice CT scanners with advanced software for detection of heart blockage, it has become possible to detect or rule out the presence of even minor cholesterol deposition in the arteries of the heart. If detected, then it is much easier to motivate patients to control their risk factors, change their lifestyle, and take preventive medicines which can prevent angina, heart attack, and future need of angioplasty and CABG.

So far in the last few years, we have diagnosed many patients of heart disease with critical silent blocks on routine screening before non-cardiac surgeries and during routine heart checkups.
It is non-invasive, OPD procedure, and especially useful when a young patient arrives to the Emergency Room with chest pain and needs to rule out heart disease, especially if ECG and ECHO are normal. This is assuming that he has a normal serum creatinine level and a stable and regular heart rhythm.