Fortis Malar Hospital launches largest Heart Failure Centre in country

Chandigarh, May 10, 2014: Having set benchmarks in patient care with its path breaking work, Fortis Malar Hospital has set up a world-class comprehensive centre for heart failure and heart transplant. Only centre in India for completely implantable Artificial heart
The speciality centre under the leadership of Dr K R Balakrishnan, Director Cardiac Sciences and Dr Suresh Rao K G, Chief of Cardiac Anesthesia and Critical Care, is ably supported by an experienced team of leading cardiac experts. It offers India’s first Comprehensive Heart Failure, Heart Transplant and Artificial Heart Program with extensive options for treatment and management of Congestive Heart failure.
Aditya Vij, CEO, Fortis Healthcare Limited said, “Advances in medicine have made heart transplants safer and a real option in managing cases of end stage heart failure. Cardiac care at Fortis Malar Hospital is well established and ranked amongst the finest in the country. ”
Dr K R Balakrishnan, Director, Cardiac Sciences, Fortis Centre for Heart Failure and Transplant, at Fortis Malar Hospital Chennai, said, “The majority of patients who can benefit from our advanced therapy are not aware of the facilities available in India. Our goal is to provide the highest quality of patient-centered care to many more patients, utilising our interdisciplinary approach, enormous talent and the multi-skilled resources within our team.”
Heart Failure is a major health concern worldwide including in India. Twenty million people world-wide suffer from heart failure, out of which India witnesses 20 lakh new cases every year with at least a third of them requiring advanced therapy to survive. It is also important to note that, the mortality in heart failure patients is as high as 30-40%, within a year of diagnosis. In India, the treatment for heart failure is restricted to medical therapy, revascularization therapy, valvular surgeries and heart pacing therapy.