The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : ‘Vascular disease dangerous than heart attack’

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Monday, Dec 01, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

‘Vascular disease dangerous than heart attack’

Staff Reporter

Bangalore: Vascular disease is more dangerous than a heart attack and diabetics are 25 times more likely to have a leg amputated than those without the condition. But the good news is that 85 per cent of these amputations are preventable.

According to Kalkunte R Suresh, Director of Jain Institute of Vascular Sciences (JIVAS), lack of awareness about the disease among the public and medical professionals is one of the main reasons for the increasing number of amputations in the country.

“Though 10 per cent of the 30 million diabetics in the country develop foot problems, it is unfortunate that a majority of these patients are not seen by vascular surgeons at all. This results in unnecessary limb and life loss. Even when a patient presents relatively late to a vascular surgeon, most of the limbs can be salvaged with a high success and low complication rate,” Dr. Suresh said.

To lessen the impact of diabetes and its disabling complications, especially among the rural masses, the diabetic foot care division of JIVAS in association with World Diabetes Foundation of Denmark and Grameena Abhyudaya Seva Samithi (GASS) is running two community-based projects — Padasamrakshane and Anveshani.

Under these projects, the hospital has set up mobile diabetic foot clinics equipped with latest technical facilities. Trained health and paramedical workers are providing care and creating awareness about vascular disease in the under-served rural areas. The aim is to prevent and treat diabetic foot problems in Karnataka, Dr. Suresh said.

Vivekananda, Assistant Director of JIVAS and A.S. Vinaya, Coordinator of Integrated Foot Care Services of JIVAS, made presentations on the two projects and explained the functioning of the mobile clinics.

The hospital, which has started another project in association with GASS and Handicap International (HI) in Gowribidanur, will soon install a portable laboratory in the mobile clinic along with ECG and opthalmoscope facilities, Dr Vinaya added.

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