Cardiologists and patients join hands to launch heart failure patient support group in India

Patients United for Heart Failure Foundation’ aims to improve quality of life of patients

On the occasion of the World Heart Failure Awareness Month in May, leading cardiologists, Dr Vishal Rastogi, Fortis Escort Hospital and Dr Sundeep Mishra, AIIMS, New Delhi, launch heart failure patient support group ‘Patients United for Heart Failure Foundation’.

‘Patients United for Heart Failure Foundation’ is one of the only few patient support groups for heart failure patients in India.

The patient support group aims to focus on the following areas:

• Improve quality of life of Heart failure patients by serving as a repository of information on heart failure management and available treatment options in India
• Support research in the disease area of heart failure to ensure that better disease management and treatment protocols are practiced
• Highlight the urgent need for the government to prioritise heart failure amongst other CVDs, owing to the high mortality and hospitalisation rates associated with it
• Highlight the socio-economic impact of heart failure on patients and caregivers, due to its progressive nature and associated hospitalisations, and therefore the need to include it under insurance
• Raise awareness about the disease and establish a difference between heart failure and heart attack as two different disease entities

“India has close to 10 million heart failure patients and the burden is expected to continue growing over the next few years. The high mortality rates amongst heart failure patients in India is alarming. Patients United for Heart Failure Foundation will work towards prioritizing heart failure and create a roadmap for disease management,” said Dr Rastogi.

“Early diagnosis is the key to manage heart failure. Therefore, it becomes important for patients and caregivers to be watchful of symptoms and for doctors and hospitals to undertake early interventions,” said Dr Mishra.

This year, the Patients United for Heart Failure Foundation will enroll heart failure patients and caregivers from across the country and mobilise them through on-ground activities.