The latest Heart Health Forum took place on 24th February from 11 a.m to 1 p.m. where Durdans panel of in-house cardiac specialists and lifestyle healthcare professionals shared expert advice and insights on lifestyle led preventive heart healthcare to an auditorium of attentive listeners.
The first few sessions were based on Lifestyle management. Dr. Shreen Willatgamuwa, Resident Family Physician opened the forum with “Family Heart Care and Lifestyle management”. Dr. Gopi Kitnasamy, Chartered Physiotherapist and Certified Paediatric Bobath Therapist, demonstrated how one can relieve stress through mindful breathing and relaxation of the muscles as calm music played in the background. Ms. Lasika Jayamaha, Dietician and Nutritionist recommended what food and nutrients to include and avoid in order to maintain a healthy heart. Next was a live demonstration from the resident Chef on making a heart healthy salad. Dr. Tyronne Fernando, Assistant surgeon and SMO informed the audience about antihypertensive drugs and their side effects.
Later on, Dr. Pandula Athaudaarachchi, Consultant Interventional Cardiologist elaborated on the latest minimal invasive interventional procedures and how important it was to get immediate treatment following a Heart Attack in order to preserve quality of life. Dr. Kesava Dev, Consultant Cardiothoracic Surgeon ended the forum, enlightening the audience on the benefits of minimal invasive bypass surgery through an evocative video presentation of a patient journey.
Open freely to the public, the Durdans Heart Health Forum saw the eager participation of previous Durdans Heart Centre patients as well as the general public. Following the speaker sessions, the audience was invited to refresh themselves with a tasty but healthy snack and beverage during which they got a chance to converse with the panel of experts.
Stay tuned for future editions of Heart Health Forum through our Durdans facebook page.
