Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 23: HoD Cardiology, GMC Jammu Dr Sushil Sharma today said ascending to a high altitude is not only problematic for the healthiest people, but it can add extra trouble for individuals with a heart problem.
Our heart will respond to the challenges of high altitude depends on how high we are going, what we plan to do there, the state of our heart, and our overall fitness. It has another dimension when it comes in linkage with pilgrimages located on high altitudes where faith surpasses consciousness about one’s health parameters. All we need is little bit sensitization about overall health pattern particularly heart and heart related ailments such as coronary artery disease, heart failure, high blood pressure and people with diabetes. Acute exposure to high altitude is associated with significant alterations to the cardiovascular system. These may be important in patients with underlying cardiovascular disease who are not able to compensate to such physiologic changes”, he elaborated.
Interacting with the gatherings of sadhus and pilgrims from outside the state putting up at Shri Ram Mandir, Purani Mandi, Dr. Sushil Sharma added a word of caution to observe strict health regimen to those already suffered any heart attack, bypass surgery or angioplasty or people with heart failure, high blood pressure and uncontrolled diabetes to do pilgrimage after thorough evaluation such as stress test and acclimatisation to similar set of circumstances before venturing for such trips.
“Blood pressure tends to increase at higher elevations, so it’s best to get blood pressure under control before travelling and adhere to medications and necessary precautions such as warm clothing and rapid descend in case of symptoms such as light headedness, vomiting, nausea, giddiness or change in gait,” he advised.
More than 300 yatris and people from adjoining area were screened, evaluated and advised for various heart problems and allied ailments. ECG, Blood Sugar monitoring, Lipid Profile test were conducted and free medicines were also distributed as per the requirement.
Among others, who were part of this medical camp include Dr Mohi Kalsotra, Dr. Dhaneshwar Kapoor, Dr. Kewal Sharma, Dr Akhil Gupta and Dr. Chakshu Mahajan Paramedics and volunteers included Vikas Kumar, Kamal Sharma, Kashmiri Lal, Sukhdev Baloria, Aman Gupta, Akshay Kumar, Amandeep Singh, Vikas Sharma, Rajeev Vohra, Rahul Tickoo,Gourav Sharma, Vikas Sabharwal, Rahul and Raj Kumar.
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