Heart specialist counts on making a difference
http://tri-statedefenderonline.com/articlelive/articles/3900/1/Heart-specialist-counts-on-making-a-difference/Page1.html
By Dr. Karanja A. Ajanaku
Published on 07/2/2009
The way Dr. Dharmesh Patel figures, if the blood pressures of 1,000 people are addressed at a health fair, you can save 25 cardiovascular events and 17 strokes over a 6-year-period.
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The way Dr. Dharmesh Patel figures, if the blood pressures of 1,000 people are addressed at a health fair, you can save 25 cardiovascular events and 17 strokes over a 6-year-period.
Heart specialist counts on making a difference
Dr. Dharmesh Patel of the Memphis Heart Clinic deals in real numbers that add up to saving lives.
The way Dr. Patel figures, if the blood pressures of 1,000 people are addressed at a health fair, you can save 25 cardiovascular events and 17 strokes over a 6-year-period.
“I think we may get somewhere along those numbers here today,” said Dr. Patel, in between screenings Saturday at the Tri-State Defender’s Summer Health Fair and Family Fun Day at Orange Mound Community Center. “Even if we did half of that, you are still going to save people’s lives.”
Dr. Patel, who has a strong association with the American heart Association, gets to as many health fairs as he can. He noted the “local feel” to Saturday’s event and pointed to on-the-spot results.
“We had a patient today who had bypass (surgery) about 8 or 9 years ago who has not been seen by a doctor since then. That patient’s blood pressure is very high,” said Dr. Patel. “We gave him some medicine, but we recommended strongly that he follows up as soon as possible today to be checked up. . . . This gentleman was at least six times higher (in blood pressure) than a normal person.”
In this instance, said Dr. Patel, “I really feel that we made a difference in changing his perception of his disease state and hopefully making him do something about it so that he can avoid stroke or a heart attack.”
Heart disease is the number one killer in America. It accounts for the next six causes of death all put together. One in three people in America die of heart disease.
While more awareness is key, Dr. Patel said there must be a change in people’s habits in terms of risk factors, including high blood pressure, cholesterol and obesity.
“We are making headway in increasing awareness of factors like blood pressure. We are making small progress, but we still are at a level where 50 percent of patients, African Americans included, are not aware of having high blood pressure. And about 50 percent are not treated or getting to go,” he said.
“What’s important about African Americans is that they have very high blood pressure and high blood pressure alone accounts for about 11 percent of mortality in America.”
So is the problem a disparity in available health coverage or that people just are not taking advantage of what is available?
“That’s a tough question. I think it’s a combination of both,” said Dr. Patel. “It would not be fair to say that it is all do to resources. There is an element of resources not being there. Some people might not have the resources to seek health. And also the fact that we could do a better job increasing awareness.”
Dr. Patel said the reason he and others attend events such as Saturday’s Tri-State Defender Summer Health Fair is to “increase awareness and hopefully get across that there are services out there that can help you control your risk factors so that you can avoid the real bad ramifications of strokes and heart attacks, which as you know can be disabling for the rest of your life.”
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| Dr. Dharmesh Patel said health fairs can save 25 cardiovascular events and 17 strokes over a 6-year-period. (Photo by Shirley Jackson) |
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| Dr. Patel, who has a strong association with the American heart Association, gets to as many health fairs as he can. (Photo by Shirley Jackson) |
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| Dr. Patel enjoys a chat with a health fair participant concerned about his health. (Photo by Warren Roseborough) |
“I think we may get somewhere along those numbers here today,” said Dr. Patel, in between screenings Saturday at the Tri-State Defender’s Summer Health Fair and Family Fun Day at Orange Mound Community Center. “Even if we did half of that, you are still going to save people’s lives.”
Dr. Patel, who has a strong association with the American heart Association, gets to as many health fairs as he can. He noted the “local feel” to Saturday’s event and pointed to on-the-spot results.
“We had a patient today who had bypass (surgery) about 8 or 9 years ago who has not been seen by a doctor since then. That patient’s blood pressure is very high,” said Dr. Patel. “We gave him some medicine, but we recommended strongly that he follows up as soon as possible today to be checked up. . . . This gentleman was at least six times higher (in blood pressure) than a normal person.”
In this instance, said Dr. Patel, “I really feel that we made a difference in changing his perception of his disease state and hopefully making him do something about it so that he can avoid stroke or a heart attack.”
Heart disease is the number one killer in America. It accounts for the next six causes of death all put together. One in three people in America die of heart disease.
While more awareness is key, Dr. Patel said there must be a change in people’s habits in terms of risk factors, including high blood pressure, cholesterol and obesity.
“We are making headway in increasing awareness of factors like blood pressure. We are making small progress, but we still are at a level where 50 percent of patients, African Americans included, are not aware of having high blood pressure. And about 50 percent are not treated or getting to go,” he said.
“What’s important about African Americans is that they have very high blood pressure and high blood pressure alone accounts for about 11 percent of mortality in America.”
So is the problem a disparity in available health coverage or that people just are not taking advantage of what is available?
“That’s a tough question. I think it’s a combination of both,” said Dr. Patel. “It would not be fair to say that it is all do to resources. There is an element of resources not being there. Some people might not have the resources to seek health. And also the fact that we could do a better job increasing awareness.”
Dr. Patel said the reason he and others attend events such as Saturday’s Tri-State Defender Summer Health Fair is to “increase awareness and hopefully get across that there are services out there that can help you control your risk factors so that you can avoid the real bad ramifications of strokes and heart attacks, which as you know can be disabling for the rest of your life.”