IPC Heart Care Center
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Frequently asked questions by Heart Paitients:
 
What are the basic tests for early diagnosis of CAD?
The basic tests we recommend are – Total cholesterol, Lipid profile, Tread Mill Test (Stress Test).
 
What are the advance tests for diagnosis of CAD?
We recommend you for a Calcium scoring through CT Scan. If your calcium scoring is higher than you have a higher chance of having calcified plaques. You can also do a non-invasive CT Angiography which will show you the blockages developing throughout your arteries. CT angiography is 80-85% accurate test and if anybody undergoes this test, regular invasive angiography is not required. 2D Echo is also recommended to know about heart pumping. We also suggest blood flow study, to know whether your heart is receiving sufficient quantity of blood.

The two tests recommended for the same are:
(1) 3 D Cartography & (2) Stress Thallium. You should also do the study of Homocystine & Lipoprotein - A, because if this are above normal, you have a very high chance of having blockages.

Why Blood flow study is important ?
Blood flow study is important because 70% to 100% blockages either in single vessel or triple vessel does not mean that heart is receiving only 0 – 30% of blood. Heart muscles requires oxygen to pump effectively and the oxygen is carried by the blood to the muscles.

All the invasive and non-invasive treatments are done to improve the blood flow to the heart. Thus its essential to do the blood flow study either by Stress Thallium or 3D Cartography, as this will help to understand the need of the treatment.

What are the normal or abnormal parameter of blood flow?

3 D Cartography:- (Accuracy 80%)
Cartography measures the blood flow in coronary arteries. If blood flow is reduced in arteries either because blockages or because of reduced flexibility of arteries (compliance), it is indicated by blood flow deficiency in respective coronary artery. An average deficiency over 10% shows the requirement of treatment.

Stress Thallium: (Accuracy 90%)?

In stress thallium, dye is injected and images of heart are taken at rest and then after making the patient to do exercise or stress test. Uptake of dye gives different colour to normal and abnormal heart muscles and we can come to know how much portion of heart is having deficiency of blood, viable tissue and reversibility of tissue.

What are the physical symptoms of CAD?

The normal symptoms are:
1) Chest pain on the left side, radiating towards your arm or neck.
2) Choking sensation in the chest
3) Pain in the lower jaw
4) Pain in the chest increases while walking reduces on rest.
5) Extreme fatigue without physical activity.
6) Breathlessness on exertion.

Does a normal angiography means I have no problem of coronary artery disease?

Normal angiography - No physical symptoms, treadmill test normal, showing no ECG changes then you can rule out CAD.

However 10% of patients can have no blockages but spasmodic angina which is a type of coronary artery disease.

When should I start prevention ?

Prevention by practicing the correct lifestyle should start from youth. Specially after the age of 35 for men and 40 for women, one must do cardiac checkup every year and follow a prevention & reversal program. We have to understand the disease is caused due to four main reasons – Stress, sedentary life style, incorrect food and harmful habits. Blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol are the initial disease which starts affecting us. Ultimately leading to coronary artery disease. People suffering from uncontrolled blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol should strongly focus on reversal programs.

What is a “Preventive Cardiology”?

Preventive Cardiology is based on prevention of coronary artery disease by correcting the reasons which causes CAD. The four main reasons are stress, sedentary life style, incorrect diet and harmful habits like smoking, alcohol etc. The program are based on stress management, yoga, meditation, diet, education and cardio fitness programs. Preventive Cardiology focuses at

1. Stopping the deposition of fats, calcified plaques in the coronary arteries. e.g. development of blockages in the arteries. This fatty deposits happen mostly due to food which are high in fat / LDL cholesterol and complex carbohydrates.

2. Development of micro vessel circulations through small veins, capillaries, which are normally dormant in our heart. This improves the blood circulation to the heart, & one does not depend only on the main arteries to carry blood to the heart. This is achieved by brisk walking, cycling, jogging and other cardio vascular exercises 4 – 5 times a week for minimum 30-45 min.

3. Stress management to control stress positively and stress not controlling us. Any negative emotions like anger, depression, anxiety releases 36 toxic chemicals inside our body harming the endothelium lining of the arteries. Stress also results in angina, spasms and severe stress results severe spasms resulting complete cutoff of blood flow supply to the heart, causing heart attack..

4. Guidance to avoid smoking intake of alcohol, tobacco chewing etc.

5. Improving the compliance of arteries and thus reducing angina and blood pressure.
What is an effective Preventive Cardiology Program?

The best way to choose a correct Preventive Cardiology Program is by analyzing the followings: The program should be based upon the five best principles,

which are:-
1. An effective Stress management program which guides, counsels and follows up to improve the mental health and you find yourself relaxed and rejuvenated after the programs.

2. Correct diet: Prefer vegetarian diet, high fiber, lots of fruits, pulses. Avoid complex, carbohydrates like maida. If you are non vegetarian, have in moderate proportion, fish is good chicken is o.k. , red meat & egg yolk to be avoided at all time. Take your food in small intake, 4-5 hrs. of gap between meals are recommended. Avoid food which are fried. Reused oil becomes carcinogenic, hydrogenated & must be strictly avoided.

3. Cardiovascular exercises:The exercises should be done after a complete medical evaluation by a certified doctor. The best results are obtained when the exercise are done within the cardiac training zone. Everybody has an different cardiac training zone. The normal exercises which are recommended are brisk walking, cycling, swimming, jogging, climbing (6 – 8 floors) aerobic exercises, sports like badminton, tennis, squash. Average 30 – 45 min a day for 4 – 5 times a week. One should start the exercises under a certified trainer so that one can achieve the best results without straining the body.

4. Health Checkups including cardiac checkups every year.

5. Avoid smoking ,passive or active, tobacco, alcohol should be restricted to 90-120 ml in 7 days that too if you are doing active exercise 45 minutes a day for 5 days . A glass of red wine 2-3 times a week is OK as it has antioxidants.
Does blood pressure patients have a higher risk of heart attack?

YES, constant high blood pressure hardens the arteries, by damaging the protective layer of the arteries. It increases the thickness of muscles of the heart, known concentric hypertrophy, as diagnosed on 2D Echo Cardiography.

In many cases severe thickening leads to conditions of cardiac failure. It increases the burden on the heart, which has to work harder to maintain the normal blood flow.
Does diabetic patients have a higher risk of heart attack?

YES, compared to non-diabetic, diabetics have two to three fold risk of dying from Coronary Artery Disease and they are prone to more of “Silent Heart Attack”.

They have severe form of blockages, involving are the major three arteries and also the disease is diffused in smaller vessels.

High levels of sugar in the blood, causes damage to internal lining of the arteries, accelerating the process of blockages. It disturbs the natural cholesterol metabolism of the body increasing the bad cholesterol LDL, which further increases the blockages..

Does my heart get damaged during heart attack?

YES, when one gets a heart attack blood supply is completely cutoff to a certain portion of heart. If the blood supply – oxygen supply is not restored to that part of the heart within the first 60-90 minutes then the muscles of the heart dies due to lack of oxygen. This creates the permanent scar . The scarred part of the heart will always remain dead and the heart has to compensate the blood supply to the body through the rest of the heart, which is alive. The degree of scarring cannot be predicted during an heart attack but by restoring the blood supply at the earliest the damage to the heart can be prevented or vastly reduced.

What is non-invasive cardiology?

Non invasive cardiology focuses at improving the blood supply to the heart without any form of invasive surgeries, catheters etc. and alternating the blood chemistry – the reason which is causing the blockages to develop.

The treatments normally used in non-invasive cardiology are
  • Arterial Clearance Therapy also known as Chelation (Details in brochure)
  • EECP: (Enhance External Counter Pulsation) (Details in brochure)
  • Cardiac Rehabilitation Program
What are chances of a patient diagnosed Coronary Artery Disease having a Heart Attack?

A person diagnosed with CAD does not necessary mean that he is going to suffer from heart attack soon. Heart attack is a situation as explained earlier where blood supply to a certain part of the heart is completely cut off. Thus a person following a correct reversal program, where blockages are kept under control and slowly reversed, and improving the blood flow supply to the heart, avoiding mental stress, and having the right medication, one can easily avoid a Heart Attack in 95% of the situation

When a bypass or angioplasty is recommended?

If one is having an 80% and above blockages in the left main stem. Hearts pumping has dropped to below 40%. If one is getting angina pain while sitting, not getting relief with medication.

 
“ISCHEMIC HEART DISEASE”?
Ischemic Heart Disease means less blood supply to the muscles of Heart An aim of treatment is to increase blood flow to muscles of heart.
Investigations for diagnosing heart disease?
Blood: - A high blood sugar & cholesterol level increases the risk of blockages in the arteries.

ECG: - In most of the cases ECG is normal, inspite of blockages.

Stress Test: Stress test positive means there are chances of having significant blockages in major arteries above 70%. But it will not show you location & extend of blockages.

Angiography Shows you blockages in major arteries only, minor arteries cannot be visualized. It does not show blood flow to the heart.

Stress thallium: Test to detect the blood flow to heart in all major & minor arteries, also determines viability of heart muscles after heat attack.

Cartography: Test to detect blood flow to heart through all major & minor arteries.

CT Coronary Scan: Non invasive angiography in 15 minutes we know about blockages in arteries through CT scan
I have been advised bypass surgery / angioplasty? Will your treatment help me?
Bypass / Angioplasty are temporary solutions to increase the blood flow to the heart. They do not stop the disease process nor do they go to the root cause of disease. In bypass alternate passage is created as shown the blockages remains. After few years reblockages is quite common. In angioplasty the blockage is scrapped and stent is inserted so it is merely reduced in size. Hence with few months to 2-3 years problem occurs. Coronary Angioplasty Bypass Surgery
Coronary Angioplasty
Bypass Surgery
This procedures do not change the chemistry of your blood while it is flowing through your body. They should be done only in emergency & when medical management fails.

IPC non-surgical treatment program has success rate of 90% in avoiding bypass / angioplasty. Our treatment reduces blockages.

Thus IPC provides permanent solution to your heart problem. No angioplasty/ No Bypass / No Angiography - learn Zero Heart Attack Path.

I have got critical blockages over 90% - 100%. Can I wait till your treatment is over? I have been told to do bypass / Angioplasty within 1 week?
Blockages are not developed overnight. It takes 10 – 15 years for blockages to become 90%. Fear Psychosis is induced by medical professionals so that maximum people get operated. At IPC we will study your case thoroughly & after estimating your risk. We will advise you our programs. All critical cases which require urgent surgery after our assessment we recommend them immediately However in 80% of cases surgery is not an emergency as per international research & statistics ( Research studies can be discussed with you if you are interested you can ask us?)
What guarantee do you give of your treatment? \ What guarantee is given by cardiologists who does Bypass / angioplasty?
Human body is not mixer / computer / working machine where we can talk in terms of guarantee.

Professionals charge fees for medical opinion, expertise, investigations, medicines. We can guarantee you our sincere efforts, our devotion in treating your disease & 90% our proper treatment has shown we are successful.

However all patients are not same 10% doesn’t improve or worsens. They may be advised surgical option during or after treatment. But we discuss chances of success before we start treatment so patient can always choose whether he wants to get treated or not.

My friends / relatives are after for surgery “How will I handle them”?
Our friends / relatives are not aware of latest modalities of treatment. You are the captain of your ship. They are not undergoing the physical, mental & financial trauma that you will undergo. You have to make a choice. Our 50% patients come to us after bypass / angioplasties when they were told to do surgery again, what choice do they have? So you have to be confident about the doctor & treatment you are taking to get best results.
Why this treatment is not known? \ Why major hospitals are not doing?
Since 1950 Bypass surgeries are popular. Since past 50 years, medicines have advanced & latest technologies have been available. We have 1500 successful case studies where we have avoided bypass & many people are becoming aware.

Trends are changing: - We have a hospital, ICU, Operation theater still we are focusing on Preventing people from undergoing surgeries.

These treatments are done worldwide; only in India there is lack of awareness. The hospitals are not focusing on preventive cardiology. Unfortunately in hospitals, the cardiology departments are most revenue generating & surgeries become important component of income.

80% surgeries are not required you can imagine what will happen to hospitals then?

When a heart attack strikes it is medicines & injections, which saves you from life threatening emergency then after recovery why not medicines, can save you! THINK!!

“The job of a physician is to entertain the patient till nature feels”.
VOLTAIRE?
There is a healing mechanism within you, which gets activated through IPC programs. “It is you who have created blockages & it is you who can reverse it believe in that, work upon that & cure is permanent.

If you have any questions which are still unanswered kindly feel free to contact us we would be glad to remove all your doubts, worries / fear regarding your problems. IPC in-patient education & we wish you the entire test in choosing treatments for your cardiac treatment.

 
What are the tests done after treatment to know the benefits?
We do stress test & 2 D Echo. This re the same tests which are done post bypass and angioplasty as all the treatments are aimed to improve your blood flow and your exercise tolerance.
Can I reverse the blockages?
Yes its possible for that we advise Arterial Clearance therapy with 30 _40 intravenous drips done over 4-6 months along with an annual program of cardiac Rehabilitation. By repeating the angiography or Ct Angio one can document the reversal more certainly. The degree of reversal varies but even one percent reduction in blockages increases the perfusions 4 times. Over 20 drips and # months cardiac rehabilitation the patient will improve over all aymyoms better walking, working capacity , stress tests will improve. The success ratio of reversal is 90%, reduction regresses between 5% to 50%.
How does ACT & EECP helps?
Arterial Clearance Therapy (ACT) improves the arterial elasticity and improves the blood flow in the arteries by softening the calcified plaques. It also releases high no of antioxidants, which corrects the cellular damage in the arteries.

Enhanced External counter Pulsation (EECP) opens up the complete collateral circulation of the heart. The micro vessels mostly capillaries lies dormant, EECP activates them. Thus the hearts do not have to depend on blood supply only on the three main arteries.

The main arteries have a much higher chance of developing blockages and becoming rigid where as the small capillaries do not have similar problem of high rigidity and deposition of blockages. Thus EECP along with Cardiac Rehabilitation Program can give very long term effects and reduces the risk of heart attack to just 5%. By restoring the blood supply EECP improves the pumping of the heart. Thus even with poor heart pumping 15-25% where surgeries are at high risk EECP is the only form of treatment approved by FDA.
FINANCIAL QUESTIONS?
I want discount, can I get?
IPC is in technical collaboration with ADC England. This treatment in England cost 3 lakhs rupees we have already given huge discounts as in the rate list further cannot be given.

In India, we can give you list of doctors / address / telephone doing ACT or Medicines, we are unique in giving international quality treatment at cost effective rates in the entire country. You can check on that.

If you have financial problems you can discuss with Administrator of the respective branch who will guide you. At IPC as a policy we don’t refuse patients with financial problems. We are having a charitable trust through which offers financial aid to needy patients. We offer guidance on how can we treat them.
I have mediclaim? Can I avail? Admit me, show on paper?
We don’t make false papers / false admissions. This treatment is not possible under mediclaim as it is OPD based. However if you want bills for consultations, investigations, which you have done you, can take.

For your office purposes / bills wherever you want subject to approval of our accountant / auditors we can assist you.

IPC treatment is very long as it takes 3 months time while bypass surgery takes 7-10 days?
In bypass surgery, although patient is discharged in 10 days time but total recovery takes about 3-6 months time only, including pain at scar and absence from work place,
Whether there is any risk involved in taking the treatment at IPC?
There is no risk involved in starting the arterial clearance therapy / EECP. Rather these treatments are 1000 times more safer than bypass surgery.
Whether there is possibility that I don’t improve with IPC’s treatment?
We have successfully treated thousands of patients and our success rate is > 90%. It is advisable to have full faith in our treatment as IPC and its team is going to put their 100% efforts for your improvement.
 
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