Heart failure more dangerous than cancer, high death-rate among patients

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: It has been found that the number of people who survive heart failure is less than that of cancer survivors and one in seven people in the country die within 90 days of heart failure. Poor health care and improper medication leads to worsening of the disease and death.

Heart failure occurs when the heart's capacity to pump blood drops below 40 percent. The main reason for this is heart attack. Other heart conditions, including valve defects, are also the reasons.

This finding is in the study conducted by Sree Chitra Institute of Medical Sciences from 2018 to 2021. 14 lakh cases are reported annually in the country. In Kerala, the number of patients ranges from 90,000 to 1,20,000. Under the leadership of Prof. Dr Harikrishnan and Associate Prof. Dr. Jeemon Panniyammakal of Sree Chitra, 11,000 people were studied in 53 hospitals in 21 states. The study report was published in the Heart Failure Journal of the European Society of Cardiology. Seven out of ten people in India have heart failure due to heart attack. The average age of the study was 60 years.

The study also found that there is a misconception that heart failure occurs only in high-income people due to lifestyle and diet.