Most heart-related diseases or cardiac ailments are life-threatening. Those which are not an immediate concern can lead to a slow death. Heart failure is one such disease which if not tackled immediately and correctly, can lead to death. Cardiac diseases are the leading killer in the World.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cardiovascular disease takes a toll on eighteen million lives every year.

Cardiac disorders are related to the blood circulatory system. Factors that impact heart health:

• Obesity
• Unhealthy Diet
• Blood Pressure
• Diabetes
• Smoking
• Excessive Alcohol Consumption
• Sedentary Lifestyle
• Congenital Anomaly
• Genetic Cause

It is important to make lifestyle changes as one ages. Muscle weakening or damage to heart walls can lead to serious problems even among the young, and the disease has to be promptly treated.  

Though medicines and lifestyle changes could treat some common heart ailments, most cardiac procedures are invasive. Often, surgery is called for as a life-saving treatment.  Some heart related therapies are listed below:  

• Coronary angioplasty and stent implantation
• Heart Transplant
• Thrombolytic Therapy
• CABG – Coronary Artery Bypass Graft
• Artificial Pacemaker Surgery
• Valve Replacement Surgery
• Aneurysm Repair
• Transmyocardial Laser Revascularization (TMR)
• Transcatheter Structural Heart Surgery
• Defibrillation
• Congenital Heart Surgery
• Cardiomyoplasty
• Open Heart Surgery

Angioplasty is literarily clearing deposits in the blood vessels and placing a stent wherever the gap is narrow. The stent is usually a wire mesh and costs around 500 USD in India in the upper branded range.  Stent, made by Supraflex, is reputed to be the best in the country. The Angioplasty with stent implantation would cost around 36,000 USD in the USA, and the same procedure would cost 3000 USD. 

End-stage cardiac failure leaves no option but to go for a heart transplant—the transplantation costs around 35000 USD to 40,000 USD. The same procedure in the US would range upwards from 1.4 million USD.  

In the case of open-heart surgery, it is carried out on various parts of the organ.  Usually, the focus is on the valves, muscles, and arteries. Although this type of surgery is a broad definition and may include CABG procedures, a small incision is enough in most procedures.   If the invasion has to be extensive, then the patient is placed on a heart and lung machine since the blood supply must be altered whence the surgeon is busy repairing or replacing parts of the organ.  In such cases, the cost is high and post-operative care is intense. The operation in top-rated hospitals costs around 10000 $ in India, but its price is very high in the US or European process. In this procedure, two aspects are typical, a long chest incision and the heart and lung machine. The operation comprises a group, and several procedures may be performed as the case may be. In Europe, the average cost is over Euro 25,000, while it costs around 100,000 USD and above in the US.

The most common heart surgery is CABG. Nearly one million of these surgeries are performed around the World. In India, the number of CABG procedures performed each year may be over 100,000 and the cost ranges anywhere between 4000 USD to 5000 USD.   Compared with other countries in the World, India ranks far lower in cost despite having an excellent record of successful outcomes.

• US = 75000 $ plus
• Australia = 42000 $ plus
• New Zealand = 40000 $ plus
• Netherlands = 16000 & plus
• Switzerland = 36000 $ plus

Similarly, permanent pacemaker implantation costs around USD 15000 in India. Valve replacement cost in India is around 10,000 USD.   The figures are very high in the US and Europe, attracting many visitors to India from the US and Europe because of the low cost, but the treatment is on parity.

The country has a high level of expertise in Cardio Vascular Disease with the physicians and surgeons of international repute. As far as the hospitals are concerned, the most reputed are established in metros and large cities. Many patients arrive from overseas for congenital cardiac ailments. This indicates the quality and services provided by our health care infrastructure. The cost of treatments, when compared with Europe, is as much as 10 to 15 times reduced here. This is boosting our health care systems and empowering professional surgeons and physicians.  The prospects are bright, and the medical tourism sector is experiencing 30 percent growth in the country.