News & Events

30th October 2019, Chennai: Kauvery Hospital today announced that it has successfully saved 100 lives from Sudden Cardiac Death (SCD). Kauvery hospital plays a vital role in providing optimal care for all cardiac arrest patients. The announcement was made in the presence of Padmashree Vivek, Actor along with 10 SCD survivors who were treated by the hospital’s dedicated sudden cardiac death prevention program

Padmashree Vivek, Actor said, “I am glad to be a part of this occasion and I can see that Kauvery Hospital has taken great steps to address Sudden Cardiac Death. The biggest reason for sudden cardiac death (SCD) in India is lack of awareness and reluctance to go for annual check-ups. Public should be aware of Sudden Cardiac Death and must take necessary steps to be assessed by a dedicated  SCD prevention clinic to detect any issues related to the heart at an early stage& take necessary steps to avoid SCD. I wish team Kauvery a great success ahead”.

Dr. A. B. Gopalamurugan, Senior Consultant Interventional Cardiologist and Project Lead for sudden cardiac death prevention at Kauvery Hospital. Death is unfortunately one of the symptoms which often can only be prevented. It can only be treated if treatment is insisted immediately by skilled team capable of managing any cause of sudden cardiac death. Sudden cardiac death is often due to a heart electrical abnormally and this is not the same as heart attack. Although majority of deaths are labeled due to “heart attack”. Which is blockage of blood vessel it is often not the case. Electrical problems of the heart may range from very slow heart electrical impulses or very fast heart electrical impulses or due to short circuiting between the wiring systems of the heart. There are several heart electrical conditions. This sub-speciality or super-speciality that deals with heart electrics is ‘Cardiac Electrophysiology’ which is a highly complex and advanced area within cardiology. There are many causes for SCD some causes of SCD can be very effectively prevented by implanting a device called ICD (Implantable cardioverter defibrillator). This is a device is implanted under local anesthesia where a wire (lead) goes into the heart device is implanted under Left side of the chest under the skin. This is performed by a certified cardiac device specialist (CCDs) or a cardiac Electrophysiologist”

Dr. Aravindan Selvaraj, Executive Director, Kauvery Hospital, added “Very few centers in India have a dedicated program for SCD prevention and we are happy that Kauvery Hospital is one amongst them. Changes in lifestyle like exercising, reducing sodium in diet, managing stress and controlling weight can substantially improve quality of life. At Kauvery Hospital Cardiologists, Electrophysiologists and other specialists work hand in hand to treat patients to patients live their best possible quality of life. A few decades ago, there was no way sudden cardiac death could be treated. Often it was not possible to treat as it is usually very late before medical help can make a difference. We at Kauvery hospital are proud to have the only dedicated sudden cardiac death prevention program in Tamil Nadu led by Dr. A B Gopalamurugan. We have now successfully treated several patients where our team reach the patients in need and we transfer them here to treat them successfully with modern techniques and screening methods patients at high risk of SCD can be treated successfully to prevent SCD”.

The Take Home Messages at the program were:

• Sudden Cardiac Death can be an unfortunate symptom of heart disease that can often only be prevented as time to treatment delivery is short.
• Sudden Cardiac Death is not the same as a ‘Heart Attack’ but ‘Heart Attack’ is one of the causes for Sudden Cardiac Death
• The commonest mechanism of sudden cardiac death or death from any heart abnormality is a heart electrical abnormality. This is not the same as a Heart Attack
• Heart Electrical abnormality is best dealt with by a specialist ‘Heart Electrician’ referred to as ‘Cardiac Electrophysiologist’
• Sudden Cardiac Death can be prevented through modern treatments and patients at high risk can be picked up in such specialist centres with dedicated SCD Prevention Programmes.
• Sudden Cardiac Death can also affect children and are best dealt with in centres with dedicated “Sudden Cardiac Death Prevention Programmes” and “Paediatric Electrophysiology”
• Anyone with a family history of sudden unexplained death must be evaluated at a “SCD prevention programme” to prevent SCD.
• Patients with palpitations and loss of consciousness must be evaluated by a cardiac electrophysiologist
• Patients with previous heart attacks who are told that they have a poor heart function or heart failure must be evaluated for SCD prevention and improvement in heart function by a cardiac device specialist.

About Kauvery Hospital:

Kauvery Hospitals is ‘A new Age Family Hospital’ with Multi Specialty Clinical Expertise and a pioneer in the ‘HealthCare Provider’ industry, making healthcare affordable. Kauvery is one of the few corporate hospital chains to successfully integrate operations into Tier 1 cities after launching into Tier 2 cities. It is also one of the few hospitals founded by Medical experts and managed by business professionals with a keen focus on delivering personalised and specialised health care with warmth.

Kauvery Hospitals is currently a 1200 bed hospital group with presence in Chennai, Trichy, Hosur and Salem in addition to planned entry in new markets.

Apart from having diverse Multispecialty tertiary care expertise, Kauvery Hospitals house one of three ‘Cardiac Centres of Excellence in South India’ and the only one in Tiruchirappalli (Trichy).

In today’s times where the healthcare industry is more and more commoditized, Kauvery Hospitals stands tall with its promise of making medical expertise and technology truly affordable with empathy and care at every stage of a person’s healthcare needs.