Cardio oncology The golden hour of a heart attack
August 2, 2021 Word for Word Media
#SpreadTheHope
Cardiologist, Dr YT Singh, educates us on why and how a heart attack occurs and the importance of getting to a hospital within the golden hour. How does the heart function? To function, heart muscle needs an energy supply of oxygenated blood via three major coronary arteries: left anterior descending (LAD), right coronary artery and circumflex. At any time, demand for energy by the heart muscle and supply to heart muscle by those three arteries must equate: demand must equal supply.  If there is any imbalance in this equation: for instance, increased demand for energy by the heart muscle (manifest by fast heart rate, thickened…

Read More
Cardio oncology Cardio-oncology: a new sub-speciality in South Africa
March 20, 2020 Word for Word Media
#SpreadTheHope
Cardiologist, Dr YT Singh, explains what cardio-oncology is and why it forms an integral part of a cancer journey. What is cardio-oncology? Cardio-oncology is a field in which a cardio-oncologist (a cardiologist who is familiar with the cardiovascular complications of cancer drugs and radiotherapy) works closely with an oncologist, in detecting and treating cardiovascular complications due to cancer drugs and radiotherapy. The cardio-oncologist must be aware of the international guidelines and protocols pertaining to the follow-up and management of such patients. Cancer therapy Cancer therapy today has advanced greatly, resulting in cure of many cancers like breast-, prostate-, lung cancer, and…

Read More
Cardio oncology Cardiovascular disease – The risk in treatment of prostate cancer
February 3, 2020 Word for Word Media
#SpreadTheHope

Prof James Ker expands on the risk of cardiovascular disease when treating prostate cancer. Global burden of cancer The Global Burden of Disease Cancer Collaboration described the cancer burden for 29 cancers in 195 countries1. In 2017, there were 24,5 million incident cancer cases worldwide of which prostate cancer (PC) contributed 1,3 million incident cases.  There has been improvement in cancer survival which has created a large and growing population of cancer survivors. About half of patients diagnosed with cancer will survive 10 years or longer2.  There are serious concerns that these cancer survivors could have increased medium-term to long-term risks for developing…

Read More