An extensive talk programme was also organized jointly by Norvic-Escorts International Hospital and Heart Club Nepal on January 11th, 2007 at the Everest Hotel.

A total of 150 participants including heart patients, Cardiologists and General Physicians attended the programme. The main speaker on the occasion was one of the most eminent and senior most consultant cardiologist and Director- Cardiology at Escorts Heart Institute & Research Center, Dr. Ravi Ratan Kasliwal. Dr. Kasliwal during his presentation spoke on the prevention aspect of the heart diseases by maintaining a balance in life style with proper food habits, routine exercises and positive thinking which will reduce the risk of CVDs (Cardiovascular Diseases). During the questions and answers session most participants asked about food habit and what to do and what not to do.

The audiences enjoyed Dr. Kasliwal's speech. "This kind of talk show is very fruitful for us", remarked one of the participants.

iEarlier welcoming the gathering Hospital Director of Norvic-Escorts International Hospital, Dr. M. K. Malla expressed his profound gratitude for having such an eminent Cardiologist at the function

Management of Heart Failure: Beyond Drugs

Norvic-Escorts International Hospital organized a medical symposium entitled "Management of Heart Failure: Beyond Drugs" on March 24th, 2007 at the Yak and Yeti hotel.

.The symposium was basically organized for cardiologists in Nepal to raise awareness and appraise on the recent advances made in cardiac arrhythmia which was attended approximately by 60 participants including Cardiologists and General Physicians.

The main speaker at the programme, Dr. Anil Saxena (Escorts Heart Institute, New Delhi) spoke about the benefits of ICD (Implantable Cardioverter defibrillator) and Biventricular pacemaker in heart failure patients. These patients have reduced pumping ability of heart due to damaged heart muscle, which leads to difficulty in breathing and tiredness after doing very light work. Even those who can work normally, live under constant risk of sudden death due to rhythm disturbance in a damaged heart. In fact, sudden death due to arrhythmia is most common mode of death in these patients.

Biventricular pacing or CRT synchronizes various segments of heart muscle, thus making it contract with greater efficiency. This provides tremendous positive impact on working capacity of heart failure patients. In fact, carefully selected heart failure patients get significant benefit from CRT.

ICD reduces the chances of sudden death by constantly monitoring the heart rhythm. It has very sophisticated electronics circuits which can identify dangerous heart rhythm within seconds, and deliver treatment automatically. Thus a significant number of these patients can be saved if ICD is implanted before a dangerous rhythm problem occurs.

Such patients have difficulty in climbing stairs and become dependent for lot of their routine daily works. Consequently these patients develop heart failure and electrical disturbance causing sudden death. These devices strengthen the heart muscles and internally shock the heart in case of impending sudden death.

Ventricular fibrillation is an electrical disturbance in which the lower chambers beat chaotically at a rate going as high as 200 beats per minute. This is a dangerous situation in which a patient may die within minutes. The only way to save patients life in such a situation is to give an electrical shock. The ICD and CRT-D devices do the job and give patient an electrical shock directly to the heart thereby saving patients life.

There are clinical studies showing that patients without this device have a greater risk of dying a sudden cardiac death.
Dr. Anil Saxena added that the various factors must be taken into consideration such as cost, awareness of the therapy and facilities for implantation including skilled doctors.
Earlier that day Dr. Saxena also gave his in depth presentation to a large number of heart patients at Norvic-Escorts International Hospital.