Covishield developer AstraZeneca recently broke silence about a rare side effect leading to thrombosis in people which left those administered with the vaccine worried. Meanwhile, there’s also an ongoing debate whether these vaccines have led to an increase in the rate of sudden heart attacks. Clarifying these aspects, cardiologist Dr Sandip Rane who holds nearly four decades of experience spoke to FPJ journalist Swarna Srikanth.
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What is your take on the ongoing controversy over the side effect of Covishield?
We are making a lot of noise about the side effects of the vaccine, but we must acknowledge that it has benefitted millions of people against the COVID-19 infection.
Talking of side effects after years together isn’t sensible. All medicines have a small percentage of side effects, but we must look at the benefits over the side effects.
There’s nothing to worry now as a test to vaccine immunity is noted within a few weeks of getting the shot. Any side effect including thrombosis would have been observed then itself, if at all it did. Even before the pandemic, thrombosis cases prevailed. It is difficult to determine whether it is solely due to the vaccine, the viral infection, or any other factor.
Do we still see cases of COVID-19?
We still see cases of COVID-19 today, but they aren’t severe. Thanks to the vaccine, our immunity has increased and the disease has become like one of the common ailments such as cough and cold.
A recent study pointed out that anger may trigger a heart attack. What are other lesser-known factors?
Don’t give rent-free accommodation for anger. The state of anger releases adrenaline, increases blood pressure which can cause a stroke or trigger a heart attack.
Yes, we need to talk about daily-life common factors affecting the heart adversely. Air pollution reportedly increases instances of heart attack. Also, travelling in congested and crowded transport may result in stress and thereby pose a potential health risk
Your advice for a healthy heart.
Living a healthy lifestyle is very important and it involves adequate sleep, exercise for 30-40 minutes, yoga and meditation, and a balanced diet.
I invest in activities that destress me such as going to play golf with my wife. Be it swimming, cycling, or spending time with children, we must indulge in activities that can put us into a relaxing mood. And, we must enjoy your work, and not make it stressful. A long working holiday is a mantra.
Also, to ensure good health, after 40, consider getting a lipid profile and an ECG done. Also, rule out diabetes and hypertension.
How does your healthcare facilitate Ayushman Bharat Yojana?
It is a great initiative by the government of India. It has given a new lease of life to poor people who need angioplasty or bypass surgery.
In the last four years, at the Rane Hospital & Mumbai Heart Clinic, we have done almost 1000 cardiac surgeries with a 97-98% success rate alongside 2000 angioplasties with a 100% success rate. With their orange ration card, they can visit the healthcare and get their treatment done for free.
Also, what is phenomenal is the Ayushman Bharat card which has the entire data and details of the patient recorded in the cloud. This makes it easy for the common man to approach any doctor who can get to know the medical history of the patient with just entering the number on the card, escaping the hustle of carrying files and reports in hand.
