Cardiovascular diseases rank among the top causes of death worldwide, often because their symptoms are overlooked, leading to delayed diagnosis and treatment. To raise awareness, Manipal Hospital Dhakuria, part of India’s largest healthcare provider, Manipal Hospitals Group, hosted the Heart of Innovation Cardiac Summit in anticipation of World Heart Day, celebrated on September 29. The program gathered cardiac patients who had undergone different cardiac procedures at the hospital and have since resumed their normal lives. The patient summit featured recovery stories and provided a forum for cardiologists and patients to explore the evolving nature of cardiovascular diseases.

The 2026 World Heart Day theme, Don’t Miss a Beat, highlights the need to identify warning signs of cardiovascular diseases and to seek prompt medical care.

The summit brought together leading cardiac specialists from Manipal Hospital Dhakuria, namely, Dr Prakash Kumar Hazra, Senior Consultant and HOD– Cardiology, Dr Sumanta Chatterjee, Dr Supratip Kundu, Dr Soumya Kanti Dutta, Dr Pradip Bhowmik, Consultant- Interventional Cardiology, and Dr Kaushik Mukherjee, Consultant – Cardiothoracic & Vascular Surgery, Rajesh Sharma, Indian film actor, and Mr. Dipanjan Basak, a distinguished model and actor from Kolkata.

The event opened with CPR training for attendees, led by Dr. Ashok Mishra, Consultant in Emergency Medicine. The cardiac session featured a panel discussion on “Heart Attack slowly turning to Heart failure: an epidemic?” by the cardiac team at Dhakuria and an interactive Q&A session aimed at debunking myths. The cardiac quiz drew attention as attendees eagerly participated, winning prizes for their correct responses. Manipal Hospital Dhakuria is committed to delivering top-tier heart care, featuring 24/7 emergency services, a state-of -the-art cath lab, advanced procedures such as laser angioplasty, TAVI, TAVR, leadless pacemaker implantation, IVS orbital rota ablation, and PFA ablation, along with cardiac surgeries including MICS and CABG, and corrective surgeries for congenital heart defects.

Rajesh Sharma said, “Heart health is something we often tend to take for granted until a warning sign makes us pause. Participating in this summit reinforced that awareness, prompt medical attention, and paying attention to our bodies can truly make a difference. It’s encouraging to see platforms like this connecting patients and doctors, making conversations about heart health more accessible and meaningful”.

The event emphasized that every heartbeat counts and that surviving a cardiac event is just the beginning of the journey. Because cardiovascular disease frequently advances without noticeable symptoms and risk factors like high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and lack of physical activity can lead to heart complications, experts stressed the need to identify warning signs and consult a healthcare provider promptly.

Priyanka Dutta