Rise in heart disease, all at risk … Cardiothoracic Surgeon cautions

A Cardiothoracic Surgeon at the National Cardiothoracic Centre of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, has cautioned against the various misconceptions associated with heart diseases in the country, insisting that overcoming these fallacies would go a long way in dealing with the condition.

Chief among these misconceptions, Dr Penelope Adinku, said was the belief that heart related diseases affected only people who have advanced in age.

But that claim, she said was erroneous, explaining that heart diseases are conditions that affect both the young and old.

Consequently, she urged the public not to disregard warning signs associated with heart diseases like chest discomfort or pain, unexplained shortness of breath, unusual tiredness, palpitations, dizziness or fainting, and swelling of the legs.

Speaking with The Spectator in an exclusive interview last week, Dr Adinku, Ghana’s first female cardiothoracic surgeon, said such symptoms, particularly when they are new, persistent or worsening, should not be ignored.

She stressed that although such symptoms did not always mean a person had heart disease, they should be taken seriously and assessed by a health professional when they persisted or became concerning.

This, she explained was the reason Ghanaians must undergo regular health checks to know their blood pressure and other risk factors, adopt healthy lifestyle practices and seek medical attention when they experienced concerning symptoms.

“Prevention and early detection are just as important as treatment,” Dr Adinku added.

She explained that conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol could occur without obvious symptoms while significantly increasing a person’s risk of developing heart disease.

The heart surgeon also identified limited access to specialised cardiac care as one of the major challenges facing heart care in the country.

According to her, some patients who require specialised cardiac care report late to health facilities or face financial and other barriers that delay their diagnosis and treatment.

She called for continued efforts to strengthen Ghana’s cardiac care system, from early diagnosis and referral to specialised equipment, sustainable financing and the availability of well-trained multidisciplinary heart teams.

“There is also a need to train and retain more specialised professionals so that our capacity to provide high-quality cardiac care can continue to grow,” she empasised.

Dr Adinku indicated that although Ghana had made significant progress in cardiac care, there was the need to build on the existing foundation by expanding access and strengthening the country’s capacity to provide specialised services.

She said improving cardiac care required a comprehensive approach that linked prevention and early detection with timely diagnosis, referral and specialised treatment.

She further emphasised the importance of investing in the training and retention of specialists, while ensuring that health facilities had the equipment and financial resources required to provide quality cardiac services.

Dr Adinku, who successfully completed her Fellowship training with the West African College of Surgeons and was adjudged the best candidate in Cardiothoracic Surgery at the 2022 Fellowship Examinations, expressed optimism about the future of cardiac care in Ghana.

She said the progress made so far provided a strong foundation for further development and that expanding access, strengthening capacity and making specialised cardiac care sustainable would enable more people who required advanced heart care to receive it in a timely manner.

By Esinam Jemima Kuatsinu

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