PoSGH celebrates first heart surgery

PoSGH celebrates first heart surgery


The North West Regional Health Authority (NWRHA) has recorded its first open heart surgery.

Minister of Heath John Rahael will meet with the team of doctors who carried out the operation and the patient at the Port of Spain General Hospital today.

Heart disease is the number one killer in Trinidad and Tobago.

Statistics reveal that there are 3,500 deaths a year from heart disease in the country.

Of these, 2,500 are due to heart attacks, which stem from coronary heart disease.

Coronary heart disease occurs when the arteries become narrowed by atherosclerosis. This causes a restriction in the supply of blood and oxygen supply to the heart, particularly when you exert yourself and the demands of the heart muscle increase.

Aortocoronary bypass surgery, a procedure performed to repair coronary heart disease, has been done locally for ten years.

Other heart ailments include:

-Hypertensive heart disease (heart attacks resulting from diabetes)

-Cardiomyopathy (a disease which affects the muscles and heart)

-Rheumatic heart disease (caused by rheumatic fever)

-Arrhythmia heart disease (irregular heart beat)

-Conduction disturbance (a suddenly slow heartbeat)

- Congenital heart disease (holes in heart) and

Heart attacks resulting from high cholesterol.

Treatments for heart disease are available at the St Clair Medical Centre, Port of Spain and Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, Mt Hope.

source:www.trinidadexpress.com