The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Heart valve disease on the rise, says expert

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Jul 28, 2007
ePaper

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Heart valve disease on the rise, says expert

HYDERABAD: Heart valve disease is on the rise in the country due to the natural “wearing out” of the valves by calcification in older people or damage caused by rheumatic fever.

Around five million children in the country are estimated to be suffering from the disease, mostly as a consequence of rheumatic fever, according to Gopichand Mannam, Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Care Hospital.

He told reporters here on Friday that a patient requiring a heart valve replacement could opt either for a mechanical valve or a tissue valve.

The former costs around Rs. 60,000 and manufactured from a biocompatible metal, while the latter is about Rs.80,000 and made of animal or human tissue.

Long-lasting

He said the mechanical valves compared to tissue valves were more long-lasting but the patient would have to take anti-coagulants throughout their lifetime to prevent formation of blood clots. The anti-coagulant medicine and the test to fix the right dosage would cost Rs.1,000 each month.

Dr. Mannam said the tissue valve, though would not require prolonged use of anti-coagulants, has the tendency to get calcified within 15 to 20 years. It is normally recommended for patients above 50 years.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Andhra Pradesh