From the Desk of the Chairman

It is my pleasure to reach out to you by this letter through which I would like to take you along the journey I embarked upon 15years ago after having assumed the certification of Cardiology. It all started with a dream.

A dream that seemed utopian, to create facilities under doctors cooperative setup, which can work in the interest of patients and profession. Starting with a ultrasound Echo Colour Doppler then to CT scan, MRI, I went on to create the Super Specialty Hospital – Omega, becoming the first in interventional Cardiology and Cardiothoracic Surgery in this region. Being a doctor first and a specialist next, my heart has always remained in prevention.

I often think about the young man who fell victim to heart disease. I wonder what risk factors brought on the heart disease. I wonder, he was aware about risk factors and lifestyle modification, or if he ever had his heart checked. It hits me hard each time and I get more and more convinced that the only way to prevent our men and women succumbing to heart disease is to be aware of risk factors and undergo the requisite investigations for early detection and treatment before it is too late.

To add to my concern, recent reports of the World Health Organisation indicate that the number of people with cardiac ailments in our country is growing alarmingly. If unchecked, 50% of the world's cardiac cases will be from India by the year 2012. Changing lifestyles, high stress and sedentary work culture are among the major contributors to emerging trends.

I therefore decided that I can be totally committed to preventing heart disease and promoting cardiac awareness on heart disease so that it can be successfully treated. I felt that I was in a unique position to do so (as I have a dealt successfully journeyed through the various other aspect of health care) using the wealth of experience I have gained through. A unique out patient facility the most suited to address the issue, (being patient friendly and with no admission to deter) Mangalore Heart Scan Foundation was born - in October, 2006 - a one stop Cardiac Diagnostic facility - with 64 slice MDCT state of the art computerised lab, TMT, Echo Colour Doppler and ultrasound to prevent heart disease and heart attacks. MDCT Angiogram is in a unique position in the scheme of preventing heart attacks. We have a comprehensive heart-screening programme - Mangalore Heart Scan checkup package which includes all the investigations that help in identifying heart disease including 64 slice MDCT Angiogram.

Today's fast paced world is full of men and women, bursting with vitality and great zeal to achieve and succeed. But it is also a world where deadlines, competitiveness, multitasking and intense workloads rule the roost, Where erratic timing, cholesterol laden business dinners and traffic jams play havoc with stress levels, blood pressure, arteries and body weight, where caffeine, cigarettes and alcohol beckon you with promises of helping you “relax”.

As a medical man with many years of wisdom and the experience of seeing many young, fit and seemingly healthy men being suddenly struck dead by a heart attack, I have but one piece of earnest advice for you. It pays to be smart, focused and cautious about the health status of your heart. The price one pays for ignoring heart health and early warning signs of heart disease is indeed enormous. Be kind to yourself and to your heart. You owe it to yourself and your loved ones.

Regards,

Dr. K.Mukund
Chairman & Managing Director,