Health expert on how heart disease patients should take care while travelling | Health

Summer vacations have begun but are you one of them who has recently been diagnosed with a heart condition or undergone any cardiac procedure? Then, you will have to take utmost care of your heart while travelling.

Worry not as we got an expert on board to sort your health and travelling woes with a few vital tips that heart patients need to follow to stay heart healthy! Summer vacations mean relaxation and travelling to get rid of stress but heart patients who are planning to travel should be extra cautious.

In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr Sameer Pagad, Senior Consultant- Cardiologist at Global Hospitals in Parel, suggested some of the measures recommended for the heart patients:

• When patients with heart disease travel, they tend to forget their medicines. Post angioplasty and any other heart procedure, it is imperative for them to take the medication on time as suggested by the doctor. If one is traveling then he/she should stock medications as sometimes the medicines may not be readily available at the place you are going to visit. Skipping medicine can be disastrous for the patient if he/she has undergone any cardiac procedure. One should not face any problem as long as he/she is taking medication recommended by the treating doctor.

• If one is planning any adventure sports or hiking or climbing mountains at a higher altitude then it is recommended to take an opinion of a cardiologist and get evaluated.

• One should stay physically active and keep moving especially in long flights.. Try to do light exercises such as walking or spot yoga while traveling.

• It is necessary for heart patients to pay attention to their diet. Try to eat a diet consisting of fresh fruits and vegetables instead of oily food, canned and processed food.

• Visit the doctor to get cardiac tests, ECG, echocardiography, and stress tests before traveling. So, travel only when you are declared fit to do so.

• Get jabbed for Covid-19 if not get done.

• In flight wear comfortable footwear, drink enough water to stay hydrated, and wear compression stockings, if needed, take short walks to reduce the risk of blood clots in the legs.

• Do not neglect symptoms such as chest pain, breathing problems, or even undue tiredness, and immediately consult the local doctor if need be.