Visakhapatnam: Cardiovascular diseases were primarily responsible for nearly a quarter of all deaths at King George Hospital, the largest tertiary hospital in Visakhapatnam district, between January and August 2020, according to data collected through electronic mortality software (e-Mor), a death register maintained by Andhra Medical College-King George Hospital (AMC-KGH). The second biggest contributor to deaths was respiratory disease.
According to e-Mor data, a total of 2,732 deaths took place between January and August 2020, of which 657 were related to cardiovascular diseases, 24%. Diseases related to the respiratory system led to 373 deaths, 13.6%.
Meanwhile, 278 deaths, 10%, could be attributed to foetal health or in the perinatal period. Diseases of the nervous system, digestive system, genitourinary system, injury plus poisoning and other consequences, infectious and parasitic diseases are among other significant causes of death.
Dr Y Padmasri, professor at the department of community medicine, said that there has been a considerable rise in deaths due to cardiovascular diseases from 176 in 2019 to 657 in 2020 so far.
“There are two reasons for the rise in numbers: first, cardiovascular diseases have gone up triggering need for further investigation into lifestyle diseases and second, even if the underlying cause is something else like snakebite or Covid-19, often the immediate cause of death (cardiac or respiratory failure) finds mention in the death certificate,” said Dr Padmasri while adding that she and the team are trying to rectify misclassification and sensitise medical staff.
Dr Devi Madhavi, head of the department of community medicine at
KGH
, who is associated with National Centre for Disease Informatics and Research (NCDIR) under which the register is maintained, said, “The various causes of death recorded through e-Mor is aimed at strengthening medical certification of the cause of death and maintaining information on institutional deaths.”
“The project, initiated in December, 2018, will end on November 30 this year. The purpose is to sustain and develop a national research database on cancer, diabetes,
cardiovascular disease
and stroke through recent advances in electronic information technology with a national collaborative network,” said Dr Madhavi.
Stay updated with the latest news on Times of India. Don't miss daily games like Crossword, Sudoku, and Mini Crossword.Sulogna Mehta is a principal correspondent with The Times of Indi...
Read MoreSulogna Mehta is a principal correspondent with The Times of India in Visakhapatnam. She handles beats such as Medical and Health, Tourism, Women and child welfare and communities. She has a liking for medical and health related stories. She has interest in creative writing. Her hobby is travelling.
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