Heart disease remains the leading cause of mortality in the Philippines, claiming thousands of  lives each year. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), ischemic heart diseases  have consistently ranked as the top cause of death in the country, accounting for 19% of total  deaths in 2023.  

This high mortality rate is mainly attributed to lifestyle factors prevalent among Filipinos, such as  smoking, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, excessive alcohol use, and physical inactivity.  

In response to this pressing public health concern, The Medical City (TMC) is stepping up as a  leader in the fight against cardiovascular diseases with the launch of its comprehensive  cardiovascular health campaign, “One Heart, One City: United in Heart Health.” This initiative  underscores TMC’s commitment to improving heart health for every Filipino through a robust  cardiac care program that spans prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation. 

TMC Cardiovascular Institute: A Leader in Cardiac Care 

TMC’s Cardiovascular Institute (CVI) stands at the forefront of cardiovascular care in the  Philippines, offering integrated, multidisciplinary, and state-of-the-art services to address the  multitude of cardiac diseases affecting the country.  

As proof of this leadership, TMC Ortigas’ Heart Attack Program, or the Acute Myocardial  Infarction Clinical Care Program, is the first of its kind to be accredited by the Joint Commission  International. This distinction guarantees that a heart attack patient who arrives at the hospital’s  Emergency Department will have the blocked coronary artery opened in the Catheterization  Laboratory within 60 minutes.  

CVI also prides itself on its robust Adult Cardiology Fellowship program, initiated in 2002, which  has produced pioneering cardiologists in their respective fields. The institute’s achievements  include performing the first cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in the country and expanding  services to include advanced procedures like cryoablation. The Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation  (CPR) Center, launched in 2016, promotes CPR awareness throughout the country, registering  the highest number of participants among private hospitals. 

The Medical City Heart Health Network 

TMC harnesses the power of its extensive network to provide top-tier cardiovascular care  across the Philippines. With its flagship complex in Ortigas, Pasig, and hospitals in South  Luzon, Clark, Pangasinan, and Iloilo, along with nearly 70 clinics nationwide, TMC ensures that  advanced cardiac care is accessible to a broad population.  

This network enables TMC to implement its “One Heart, One City: United in Heart Health”  campaign effectively, leveraging resources and expertise from various locations to improve  heart health outcomes for Filipinos. 

Nationwide CPR Training: Empowering Communities with Lifesaving Skills 

As part of the campaign, TMC participated in National CPR Day on July 17, 2024, organized by  the Philippine Heart Association. This initiative is part of a nationwide effort to equip Filipinos  with essential lifesaving skills and increase community readiness in responding to cardiac  emergencies.  

CPR is a critical lifesaving technique used in emergencies when a person experiences sudden  cardiac arrest, which usually happens when a heart stops or beats too ineffectively to circulate  blood to the brain and other vital organs.  

During the event, TMC provided comprehensive CPR training programs across its locations,  ensuring a broad reach and accessibility. Community members were given training to do hands only CPR, the recommended first aid that applies to untrained bystanders and first responders.  The training sessions were led by esteemed cardiologists and healthcare professionals of TMC  Network.  

Heart Attack Ready Hospitals: Leading the Charge in Heart Attack Preparedness 

True to its mission of shaping how health services are accessed by and delivered to patients,  TMC is also prioritizing being a Heart Attack-Ready Hospital in collaboration with medical  professionals, specifically cardiologists, internal medicine specialists, and emergency specialists  from different hospitals.  

Spearheaded by esteemed cardiologists from TMC network sites, this activation is intertwined  with the hub and spoke model being established by the institution. Through this, TMC will  partner with hospitals in all areas within the vicinity of a TMC hospital to equip health  professionals and medical institutions with essential information on treating heart attack patients  within the 60-minute door-to-balloon time, ultimately leading to improved patient outcomes. 

Heart Care Revolution: Supporting a Heart Smart City 

TMC aims to encourage patients to take a proactive approach to their heart health. To do this,  TMC Clark, TMC Clinic, TMC Iloilo, TMC Ortigas, TMC Pangasinan, and TMC South Luzon also  launched the “Heart Care Revolution,” an initiative that intends to engage communities and 

corporate partners to achieve a heart-healthy lifestyle through physical exercise. Each network  site will mount a Heart Care Revolution Booth with a stationary bike. This project aims to focus  on the importance of initiating physical activity routines to improve heart health. To make the  program interactive, the distance recorded for all participants will be calculated. The contestant  with the longest distance biked within the given period will win a prize. 

In its active pursuit of shaping how Filipinos think, feel, and behave about health, TMC will  launch a Heart Risk Calculator on its website that patients can access to learn about their risk of  heart disease. 

Heartfelt Commitment to Children’s Heart Health 

In its commitment to providing compassionate cardiac care, TMC Ortigas, through the Adopt-a Patient Program of Akbay Ginhawa Foundation, Inc. (AGFI), successfully performed  transcatheter Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) device closure on two young patients from Pasig  City’s Child’s Hope Hospital. 

PDA is a congenital heart defect where a vital blood vessel in a baby’s circulatory system fails to  close after birth. When left untreated, it may potentially lead to heart failure and other severe  complications. 

This lifesaving procedure was made possible through the generous support of AGFI donors and  personal sponsorships from Dr. Ruben G. Kasala, CEO of TMC Ortigas, and Dr. Andy  Meadows, a member of TMC’s Board of Directors.  

Dr. Kasala, who was born with the same condition, sponsored patient Candaze Candelanza, a  one-year-old girl from Pasig City.  

“Having been born with PDA myself, I understand the challenges and fears that come with this  diagnosis. It is my privilege to give back and ensure that children like Candaze have the chance  to lead a healthy, fulfilling life,” Dr. Kasala shared.  

Dr. Meadows, meanwhile, sponsored patient Clenth Paul Pumicpic, a 13-year-old boy who had  been sickly growing up until finding the real diagnosis of his condition a few months ago. 

If you would like to donate or adopt a patient dealing with PDA, please contact Akbay Ginhawa  Foundation, Inc. through [email protected] or (+632) 8988-1000 ext. 3359 or  3144. 

For more information, tune in to The Medical City Facebook Page or visit  www.themedicalcity.com.

ADVT.

This article is brought to you by The Medical City.