Early treatment, lifestyle changes can reduce alarming heart disease statistics

By Marcelle Thomas On In Guyana News |
Head of the Caribbean Heart Institute Dr Mahendra Carpen holds up one of the hospital’s heart shaped pillows, a memorabilia given to every patient who undergoes surgery at the institution. He said not only is it illustrative of the love and support the hospital gives to the patient but serves as a reminder of the surgery they underwent so they keep on the prescribed routine given.
Head of the Caribbean Heart Institute Dr Mahendra Carpen holds up one of the hospital’s heart shaped pillows, a memorabilia given to every patient who undergoes surgery at the institution. He said not only is it illustrative of the love and support the hospital gives to the patient but serves as a reminder of the surgery they underwent so they keep on the prescribed routine given.

Heart disease tops the list of non-communicable diseases, which account for over 70% of all deaths in Guyana and the Caribbean Heart Institute (CHI) is working to raise awareness about the importance of early treatment and making lifestyle changes to reverse the trend.

“The [number] of persons with heart ailments is very, very alarming…we, from genetics and culture, are predisposed to these but that does not mean we can’t bring the numbers down… because with simple lifestyle changes, you would be amazed at the results,”