Heart diseases among younger people raise alarm: SPMC doc

Acardio consultant of the Southern Philippine Medical Center (SPMC) raised concern over cardiovascular diseases in the country, noting that patients nowadays are getting younger.

Guesting at Kapehan sa

Dabaw at SM City Davao on Monday (February 13), Dr. Elfred Batalla of SPMC said that cardiovascular diseases still remain as the top killer among Filipinos.

“Since 2007 when the Heart Institute was established, the census has been going exponentially sa heart diseases… and what is alarming is that… now they are getting younger, even at 30 years old or less than 30 years old, patients had already heart attack,” Dr. Batalla said.

He also bared that valvular heart diseases, congenital heart diseases, rheumatic heart diseases, and coronary artery diseases are the top common cardiovascular diseases in the country and even in Davao City.

Valvular heart diseases, rheumatic heart diseases, and congenital heart diseases are common among young population.

Dr. Batalla said that unhealthy lifestyle is seen as the primary contributor to heart diseases.

“This (heart disease) is due to, one, as I can say, substance abuse use in the

The city government of Davao, in partnership with the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC), Metro Davao Medical and Research Center Inc., and stakeholders will conduct the SPMC Lumps and Bumps Caravan: TINGin-TINGin, TANGTANG Bukol Caravan on February 28 at the Almendras Gym.

“We are hoping to serve at least 500 patients, 360 in all the services of SPMC. This project is in cooperation with the City Government of Davao, the Department of Health, SPMC, and the Metro Davao Medical specialty at yung lahat ng mga sub-specialty ng Metropolitan Davao Medical Society, Incorporated (MDMSI). We will be accepting pre-registration online,” said Dr. Mae Dolendo the SPMC Chair of the Integrated Cancer Care Committee in an interview over Madayaw sa Dabaw radio program Monday.

The free cancer screening will involve screening for cervical cancer and breast. There will also be onsite ultrasound, and if the patient needs a biopsy they will also provide it.

“This will be a clinic wherein we will not be only disseminating information about cancer but we will also be doing diagnostic procedures for patients who come there with complaints already about mga bukol bukol (lumps). Partner namin ang mga surgeons, gynecologist. They will actually be doing minor surgeries, or biopsies on these complaints that can already jumpstart yung kanilang pagpapatingin at pag diskubre kung meron ba silang sakit na cancer or wala at ma-refer natin sa proper doctors sa SPMC (the check-up and discovery if they have cancer or not and we will refer them to proper doctors of SPMC),” said Dr. Chita Matunog Chair, SPMC Adult Oncology Section in an interview over DCDR Monday.

Matunog said that the caravan is part of the activities for Cancer Awareness month, which is significant because cancer is already one of the leading causes of illness or death in the Philippines and worldwide.

“It is a global problem which is also a national problem. It is important we have a month to commemorate this so we can focus on our activities on cancer prevention, screening, and protection for the top leading cancers,” she said.