CHENNAI : Accepting things as they are, practise detachment or adopt a positive attitude. This kind of cosmic counsel could soon flow from the cardiologist rather than a robed seer.

With new research establishing the correlation between mental poise and general well-being, particularly healthy hearts, lifestyle counselling is getting a spiritual feel at the cardiology clinic.

"Now the risk of heart disease is being increasingly linked to the personality of an individual," V. Chockalingam, president of Cardiology Society of India, Tamil Nadu, told a press conference ahead of World Heart Day falling on Sunday.

Though the healthy mind-healthy body maxim has been around for long, new scientific evidence is driving the point home emphatically. Research indicates that persons with certain personality traits run a five-fold risk of developing heart disease, he said.

For instance, persons psychologists classify as a Type C personality (those given to concealing emotions) or Type D person stand a higher risk of getting heart disease, cancer or diabetes. "The advice to have a balanced approach is increasingly relevant in today's success-driven world," Dr. Chockalingam said.

From a health standpoint, success is neither the money amassed nor promotions gained, but is determined by how happy or worry-free a person manages to be. Dr. Chockalingam said there were many instances of survivors of a heart attack suffering another episode merely from worrying about it.

As a cardiologist, he cannot help worrying about the rising incidence of eschaemic heart disease, particularly among the young.

It is estimated that 90 persons in the 25-30 age group die due to coronary disease every hour in the country. While developed countries had achieved a 7 per cent annual reduction in incidence of heart disease, in India it was shooting by 12 per cent annually.

Most of the important messages about diet and risky habits like smoking will be highlighted during the awareness campaigns scheduled for Sunday. The theme for this year's observance called by World Heart Federation, World Health Organisation and UNESCO is `How young is your heart?'

Madras Medical Mission is organising several programmes from September 22 to 24 to commemorate the World Heart Day.

An intercollegiate elocution competition on this year's theme and an interschool quiz competition are scheduled on Friday.

Sudharshan, a heart transplant recipient who also represented India in the Sydney Olympics-96 for the physically challenged, will address the audience.

A free heart check up for children will be conducted on Saturday from 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. at the Madras Medical Mission premises. Those interested may take prior appointment by contacting 26565991 / 26565901.

Heart check

A heart check for adults at a subsidised charge of Rs.600 per person will be conducted from September 24 to 30.

The check will consists of series of tests like haemoglobin, blood sugar, lipid profile, ECG, Chest X-ray, diet counselling and consultation with Cardiologist.

The coupons for the same are available at outlets of The Derby-Egmore, Univercell Telecommunications-Alwarpet, Simply Yum-Anna Nagar and Santosh Supermarket-Anna Nagar.

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