The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : B complex could prevent heart disease

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jun 11, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

B complex could prevent heart disease

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD, JUNE 10. The ordinary and inexpensive B complex tablet may prevent a certain type of heart disease if ongoing research by scientists clinches preliminary evidence to that effect.

They are testing whether its use will reduce the risk factor arising out of high levels of homocystein, a by-product of amino acids, in the blood. Its acceptable level is 15 nanomols but when it rises above 50 units, a person may be prone to cardio-vascular disease as it is toxic to the blood vessels, particularly among those in which co-enzymes and metabolism are low.

However, this is still a grey area and attempts are being made to establish the link between B complex and the possible reduction in risk factor. But Lpa, a component of cholestorol, has been conclusively found to be a new risk factor for coronary heart disease.

These issues will come up for discussion at the two-day ninth annual conference of the Andhra Pradesh Chapter of the Cardiological Society of India (CSI), which will be inaugurated by the Chief Minister, Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy, here on June 12. Addressing a press conference here today, president of the Cardiology Society of Hyderabad, R. Prasad Reddy, vice-president, C. V. R. Prasad, and the past president, Sharad Chandra, said about 250 cardiologists, physicians and general practitioners from Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra would attend the meet.

They said coronary artery disease (CAD) was found to be more severe and more diffuse among Indians when compared to the Western population. This was going to be a major socio-economic burden in developing countries since 3 million people were dying annually due to cardiovascular disease in India. They quoted a recent survey, which showed that 10 per cent of the urban and 6 per cent of rural population was suferring from CAD.

The conference would discuss the recent advances in treatment of heart diseases through medical and surgical interventions such as newer stents (drug eluting stents), minimally invasive surgery, arterial revascularisation and heart transplants of which three have been done so far in Hyderabad.

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