Heart disease remains the leading cause of mortality in the Philippines, claiming thousands of lives each year. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), ischemic heart diseases have consistently ranked as the top cause of death in the country, accounting for 19 percent of total deaths in 2023.
This high mortality rate is mainly attributed to lifestyle factors prevalent among Filipinos, such as smoking, obesity, diabetes, hypertension, excessive alcohol use, and physical inactivity.
In response to this pressing public health concern, The Medical City (TMC) is stepping up as a leader in the fight against cardiovascular diseases with the launch of its comprehensive cardiovascular health campaign, “One Heart, One City: United in Heart Health.” This initiative underscores TMC’s commitment to improving heart health for every Filipino through a robust cardiac care program that spans prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation.
TMC Cardiovascular Institute: A leader in cardiac care
TMC’s Cardiovascular Institute (CVI) stands at the forefront of cardiovascular care in the Philippines, offering integrated, multidisciplinary, and state-of-the-art services to address the multitude of cardiac diseases affecting the country.
As proof of this leadership, TMC Ortigas’ Heart Attack Program, or the Acute Myocardial Infarction Clinical Care Program, is the first of its kind to be accredited by the Joint Commission International. This distinction guarantees that a heart attack patient who arrives at the hospital’s Emergency Department will have the blocked coronary artery opened in the Catheterization Laboratory within 60 minutes.
CVI also prides itself on its robust Adult Cardiology Fellowship program, initiated in 2002, which has produced pioneering cardiologists in their respective fields. The institute’s achievements include performing the first cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in the country and expanding services to include advanced procedures like cryoablation. The Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Center, launched in 2016, promotes CPR awareness throughout the country, registering the highest number of participants among private hospitals.
The Medical City Heart Health Network
TMC harnesses the power of its extensive network to provide top-tier cardiovascular care across the Philippines. With its flagship complex in Ortigas, Pasig, and hospitals in South Luzon, Clark, Pangasinan, and Iloilo, along with nearly 70 clinics nationwide, TMC ensures that advanced cardiac care is accessible to a broad population.
This network enables TMC to implement its “One Heart, One City: United in Heart Health” campaign effectively, leveraging resources and expertise from various locations to improve heart health outcomes for Filipinos.
Nationwide CPR Training: Empowering communities with lifesaving skills
As part of the campaign, TMC participated in National CPR Day on July 17, 2024, organized by the Philippine Heart Association. This initiative is part of a nationwide effort to equip Filipinos with essential lifesaving skills and increase community readiness in responding to cardiac emergencies.
CPR is a critical lifesaving technique used in emergencies when a person experiences sudden cardiac arrest, which usually happens when a heart stops or beats too ineffectively to circulate blood to the brain and other vital organs.
During the event, TMC provided comprehensive CPR training programs across its locations, ensuring a broad reach and accessibility. Community members were given training to do handsonly CPR, the recommended first aid that applies to untrained bystanders and first responders. The training sessions were led by esteemed cardiologists and healthcare professionals of TMC Network.
Heart attack-ready hospitals: Leading the charge in heart attack preparedness
True to its mission of shaping how health services are accessed by and delivered to patients, TMC is also prioritizing being a Heart Attack-Ready Hospital in collaboration with medical professionals, specifically cardiologists, internal medicine specialists, and emergency specialists from different hospitals.
Spearheaded by esteemed cardiologists from TMC network sites, this activation is intertwined with the hub and spoke model being established by the institution. Through this, TMC will partner with hospitals in all areas within the vicinity of a TMC hospital to equip health professionals and medical institutions with essential information on treating heart attack patients within the 60-minute door-to-balloon time, ultimately leading to improved patient outcomes.
Heart care revolution: Supporting a Heart Smart City
TMC aims to encourage patients to take a proactive approach to their heart health. To do this, TMC Clark, TMC Clinic, TMC Iloilo, TMC Ortigas, TMC Pangasinan, and TMC South Luzon also launched the “Heart Care Revolution,” an initiative that intends to engage communities and corporate partners to achieve a heart-healthy lifestyle through physical exercise. Each network site will mount a Heart Care Revolution Booth with a stationary bike. This project aims to focus on the importance of initiating physical activity routines to improve heart health. To make the program interactive, the distance recorded for all participants will be calculated. The contestant with the longest distance biked within the given period will win a prize.
In its active pursuit of shaping how Filipinos think, feel, and behave about health, TMC will launch a Heart Risk Calculator on its website that patients can access to learn about their risk of heart disease.
Heartfelt commitment to children's heart health
In its commitment to providing compassionate cardiac care, TMC Ortigas, through the
Adopt-a Patient Program of Akbay Ginhawa Foundation, Inc. (AGFI), successfully performed transcatheter patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) device closure on two young patients from Pasig City’s Child’s Hope Hospital.
PDA is a congenital heart defect where a vital blood vessel in a baby's circulatory system fails to close after birth. When left untreated, it may potentially lead to heart failure and other severe complications.
This lifesaving procedure was made possible through the generous support of AGFI donors and personal sponsorships from Dr. Ruben G. Kasala, CEO of TMC Ortigas, and Dr. Andy Meadows, a member of TMC’s board of directors.
Dr. Kasala, who was born with the same condition, sponsored patient Candaze Candelanza, a one-year-old girl from Pasig City. "Having been born with PDA myself, I understand the challenges and fears that come with this diagnosis. It is my privilege to give back and ensure that children like Candaze have the chance to lead a healthy, fulfilling life,” Dr. Kasala shared.
Dr. Meadows, meanwhile, sponsored patient Clenth Paul Pumicpic, a 13-year-old boy who had been sickly growing up until finding the real diagnosis of his condition a few months ago.
If you would like to donate or adopt a patient dealing with PDA, please contact Akbay Ginhawa Foundation, Inc. through [email protected] or (+632) 8988-1000 ext. 3359 or 3144.
For more information, tune in to The Medical City Facebook Page or visit www.themedicalcity.com.