Patna: Nearly 80% of heart diseases can be prevented through a healthy lifestyle, balanced diet and timely preventive care, cardiologists said ahead of the two-day annual conference of the Cardiological Society of India (CSI), Bihar chapter (CARDICON), beginning here on Saturday.The conference, themed ‘From Prevention to Intervention’, will bring together around 500 delegates from across the country to discuss the rising burden of cardiovascular diseases and the growing incidence of cardiac problems among younger people.CSI Bihar chapter organising secretary Dr Vipin Kumar said the conference would provide a platform for cardiologists to share clinical experiences and best practices. Scientific committee chairman Dr Arvind Kumar said the event would feature 70 scientific sessions covering heart rate, obesity, diet, lifestyle modification and the use of diagnostic tools such as ECG, echocardiography and angiography.“Prevention remains one of the most important aspects of tackling heart diseases, and a large proportion of cardiac problems can be avoided through appropriate lifestyle changes,” he said.Dr Sandeep Kumar, cath lab in-charge at Indira Gandhi Institute of Cardiology, said the number of cardiologists and catheterisation laboratories in Bihar had increased over the past five years. The conference would help bring specialists from across the state onto a common platform.Expressing concern over the rise in cardiac cases, particularly after Covid-19, he pointed to increased screen time and reduced physical activity as major lifestyle concerns.CSI Bihar chapter president Dr Sanjeev Kumar said cardiac diseases were being reported in both urban and rural areas, though their patterns differed. Coronary artery disease was more prevalent in urban areas, while rheumatic heart disease remained more common in rural areas.Dr Ashok Kumar said health minister Nishant Kumar would inaugurate the conference. Renowned cardiologists Dr UC Samal and Dr SS Chatterjee would receive lifetime achievement awards. The programme would also feature the Dr AK Thakur Memorial Lecture, to be delivered by Dr IB Vijayalakshmi, professor emeritus and paediatric cardiologist from Bengaluru.
