The need for an interdisciplinary approach for the prevention of heart and lung diseases was the theme of the 2 day conference
In the wake of the World Heart Day which falls on 29 September, the 1st National Conference on Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation was held at the Tamilnadu Dr. MGR Medical University on 23 & 24 September 2017. Cardiac Wellness Institute and the MGR Medical University jointly conducted the conference. The aim was to make healthcare professionals aware about the latest scientific developments in the field of prevention and rehabilitation of heart and lung disorders, which are the biggest threats to India and other developing countries today. The message that teamwork and collaboration amongst the different healthcare disciplines is very important in providing comprehensive services to the patients was the key message of the Conference.
The fact that regular exercise, a balanced healthy diet, mental wellbeing and avoiding tobacco and alcohol are the key lifestyle factors in the prevention of premature death was stressed by Prof. Dr. V. Chockalingam, Emeritus Professor of Cardiology and the Scientific Chairman of the Conference. “The need for widespread implementation of personalized cardiac and pulmonary rehabilitation programs for individuals with heart and lung diseases is the need of the hour to reduce complications and improve quality of life” said Prof. Dr. S. Shanmugasundaram, a leading Cardiologist in Chennai. Mrs. Saras Bhaskar, counseling psychologist and founding member of Chennai Counselor’s Foundation, outlined the importance of addressing the psychosocial issues like stress, anxiety and depression while treating patients with heart problems.
Other notable Faculty were Dr. Madan Mohan, Dr. T. R. Muralidharan, Dr. R. Anantharaman, Dr. A. Ajeet and Dr. Cecily Mary Majella (Cardiologists), Dr. R. Mohan (Cardiothoracic Surgeon), Dr. Kannan Pugazhendi (Sports Physician), Dr. I. Ramya (Internal Medicine), Dr. Bhuvaneshwari, Dr. Meenakshi Bajaj and Dr. Vinitha Krishnan (Dieticians), Dr. Vijayasaratha and Dr. Raja Amarnath (Pulmonologists) and Dr. Mathangi Ramprasad, Dr. Keerthi Pai and Dr. E. Vidhubala (Psychologists). Dr. Anand Chockalingam (Cardiologist, USA) and Dr. Aashish Contractor (Cardiac Rehab, Mumbai) shared their ideas via video presentation.
The delegates hailed from various fields including Medicine, Physiotherapy, Nutrition & Dietetics, Psychology and Nursing. There was a Poster session, a Quiz competition and a few workshops to provide hands-on training to the participants on the methodology of cardiopulmonary rehabilitation.
Dr. Priya Chockalingam, the Organizing Secretary of the Conference and the Clinical Director of Cardiac Wellness Institute, was happy to see the enthusiasm and the thirst for knowledge. She highlighted in her talk that educating and counseling the patients and their family members about the disease will go a long way in helping them make appropriate lifestyle changes.