Increasing awareness on heart failure

Novartis Healthcare Private Limited launched the third chapter of its ‘Keep It Pumping’ campaign in the city recently. In this regard, people interested in donating their virtual heartbeats visited the campaign centre at GVK Mall in Banjara Hills on Sunday.

Aimed at raising awareness of heart failure, a debilitating and potentially life-threatening condition, this initiative will provide information and support to heart failure patients in India. It also invites people in the city to donate their virtual heartbeat which will then be combined to create a unique ‘beat of the nation’ song.

Highlighting the importance of this initiative, Jawed Zia, Country President, Novartis India said, “The ‘Keep It Pumping’ campaign reinforces our long term commitment towards heart failure patient and caregiver communities and is dedicated to improving public awareness of the risks and early symptoms of this condition. We recognise the significant mortality, morbidity and hospitalizations associated to heart failure in India, thus it is our endeavour to support people living with heart failure such that the condition is better managed.”

Dr Sunil Kapoor, Senior Interventional Cardiologist attached to Apollo Hospitals, flagged off the campaign in the city unveiling a heart made of LEGOTM bricks. Demystifying a very common misconception around heart attack and heart failure, Dr Kapoor said, “Heart failure and heart attack are two different medical conditions6.

A heart attack is a sudden and unexpected event resulting from blockage in the arteries supplying blood to the heart muscles. Heart failure does not develop overnight. It is a progressive disease that has a slow manifestation and gets worse over time. This makes it critical to observe early signs or symptoms of heart failure and seek timely expert examination for better disease management.”Anyone interested in joining this movement can download the Keep It Pumping app from the App Store.