Media can help create health awareness

KOCHI: The lack of awareness on early detection of diseases poses a major threat to the Malayali community, said actor Mukesh here on Saturday.Inaugurating the aortic summit organised by the Medical Trust Hospital, he said the media should chip in to spread health awareness.Giving the keynote address, Dr Sajy V Kuruttukulam said that prevention is the best way to tackle aortic diseases. Albert Einstein, Lenin and Jawaharlal Nehru are a few who are believed to have died due to aortic diseases.“Five per cent of sudden death is attributed to rupture of aortic aneurysm. Ten per cent of male senior citizens have aortic aneurysm. The disease is typical in men and more common among smokers. There is a long gap between the onset of the disease and the onset of symptoms. But the disease can be easily detected with a chest X-Ray and an ultrasound scan of the abdomen. During motor vehicle accidents damage to the heart and the major blood vessels often goes undetected,” said Dr Kuruttukulam.Managing director of the Medical Trust Hospital P V Antony delivered the inaugural address. IMA Ekm president Abraham Varghese, consultant cardiologist at Medical Trust Hospital Dr Harsh Jeevan, cardiology director Dr C G Bahuleyan attended