Dr Jostol Pinto on heart diseases and its associated comorbidities

Comorbidity is associated with worse health outcomes, more complex clinical management, and increased health impairments. Comorbidity is a medical term that describes the concurrent existence of more than one disease or condition within the body. Comorbidities are usually long-term and chronic; however, they may or may not interact with each other. A distinct but related issue is the sequence in which comorbidities occur, which have important implications for the genesis, prognosis, and treatment of the clinical condition.

Heart diseases are the leading causes of mortality worldwide as cardiovascular illnesses develop into systemic failure due to the multiple connections to organismal metabolism associated with comorbidities and multimorbidity. As per a clinical analysis, approximately 50% of adults with heart failure or chronic cardiac manifestation have at least three coexisting comorbid conditions like obesity, chronic kidney disease, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and atrial fibrillation. Research reports also evidenced that patients suffering from one of the four comorbidities (hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, or thyroid disease) are more prone to chronic cardiac manifestations.

Comorbid conditions are predominant in patients with CVD, even in younger age groups. The prevalence of comorbidities in CVD patients has escalated, causing an increased health complexity in the patients over time. A broad spectrum of concomitant disorders may complicate the cardiovascular condition adding further morbidity and mortality risk. To ensure efficient and effective treatment, several organizational adaptations are necessary for the healthcare system to accommodate comorbid conditions in patients with CVD.

The pages slugged ‘Brand Connect’ are equivalent to advertisements and are not written and produced by Forbes India journalists.