Wockhardt Hospitals Blog

Please contact the Wockhardt Health Insurance Helpdesk ( for Bangalore and Mumbai).The Wockhardt help desk would validate the identity of the patient prior to giving a request form of the concerned TPA /insurance Company

Part A : to be filleld by the insured /patient with assistance from the helpdesk
Part B : To be filleld by the treating doctor at the hospital in detail
PartC : To be filled up by Wockhardt Hospitals

• The request will be submitted to the concerned TPA,the turnaround time for the authorization is approximately 6-24 hours.

• The TPA will send an authority or a rejection latter as the case may be ,directly to the hospital and the printout of the letter will be available at the helpdesk.

Authority letter are valid only for the period of Hospitalization sought as per request.Please inform the help desk if there is any change in these dates in case of planned hospitalization.

Final Discharge/Billing Turnouround Time:

The final billing clearance from the TPA could take atleasy 4 hours from the time your consulting doctor discharge .

Circumstances under which a request for cashless hospitalization can be rejected

Please keep in mind that the rejection of the request for pre-authorization is only denial of cashless service and is no way to be treated as a denial of treatment.The insured retains the right to get treated and submit the bills to the TPA for subsequent reimbursements.

Very few know that Cardiac diseases is one of the leading killers of women in the US. It's a common myth that its only the men who are prone to a cardiac attack.In fact its the women who are more vulnerable to heart attacks since they do not take it seriously enough and delay reporting any discomfort or pain to the doctors.

"Cardiac disorder symptoms in women are fewer than men and hence diagnosis many a times is delayed due to late detection of the symptoms", Sugandhi Gopal, Consultant Cardiologist of Wockhardt Hospitals.

"Another reason for late diagnosis of heart attack in women is the peculiar manifestation of the symptoms",she said. Timely diagnosis is only possible if women are sufficiently aware of risk factors, she said, adding that women can significantly reduce their risk of heart disease if they have information they need and know the questions to ask their health care providers.

Wockhardt Hospitals unveiled "Women & Heart" initiative as part of national 'Wear Red' day - a day dedicated on 6th February,to creating awareness about heart disease in women and also launched a booklet "Heart to heart: A guide to understand women's heart disease".

National Wear Red Day originated in US and was launched by National, Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), part of the National Institute of Health (NIH) The Heart Truth—is a national awareness campaign for women about heart disease sponsored by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Wear Red Day initiative is aimed at educating women and making them aware of the need to be conscious about their heart. (In India) 2.5 million people succumb to heart attacks every year and one-third of them are women.

Presenting a talk on Women & Heart, Dr. Nagraj Desai, Consultant Cardiologist, Wockhardt Hospitals said, “India is facing major health challenges due to drastic change in lifestyle and economic development. Coronary Artery Diseases in women has increased phenomenally in the last 20 years whereas there is a huge decline in the west due to aggressive modification of lifestyle habits. Statistics reveals Indians overall run the highest risk for heart diseases. Few simple lifestyle changes can substantially reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.”

For more information on women and heart write to enquiries@wockhardthospitals.net

Heart disease threatens all women, even those as young as 30 and 40. Women in their 30s and 40s are now having more Cardiac Related problems and is increasing much faster than in men their same age—rising 30 percent in the last decade. Of those who survive heart attacks, 35 percent of women will have a second heart attack compared to 18 percent of men. Women with diabetes are two-to-three times more likely to have heart attacks. Women who smoke have heart attacks nearly 20 years earlier than non-smoking women. However, a majority of women between the ages of 25 to 34 years believe that cancer is their greatest health threat.


We talked to our leading cardiologist and Heart Consultants at Wockhardt Hospitals,Heart Care Center of Excellence, and tried to figure our what does a Women need to know to prevent heart disease and more importantly how do they they protect themselves from sudden cardiac attacks

Here are some of ethe excerpts with our Doctors

Women are at risk for heart disease and heart attacks, just like men. In fact, heart disease is the leading cause of death among women over 65. American (Indian Data) women are 4 to 6 times more likely to die of heart disease than of breast cancer. Heart disease kills more women over 65 than all cancers combined. Women develop heart problems later in life than men -- typically 7 or 8 years later. However, by about age 65, a woman's risk is almost the same as a man's.

For both men and women, the biggest factors that contribute to heart disease are smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, family history and age. Take a moment to look at your lifestyle, family history and your general health. With this information, you and your family doctor can assess your risk and make a plan to avoid potential problems. Although you can't do much about your family history or your age, you can make lifestyle changes to avoid many of the other risk factors.

Don’t smoke. Smoking is a major risk factor for heart disease in women. More than half of the heart attacks in women under 50 are related to smoking. If you stop smoking, you can lower your risk of heart attack by one third within 2 years. Women who smoke and use birth control pills increase their risk even more. There are a variety of products to help you quit smoking. You may want to try using nicotine skin patches or nicotine gum: these types of medicines are available over the counter. There are also prescription medicines available that can help you stop smoking. Talk to your doctor about the best way for you to quit smoking. Breathing smoke from someone else's cigarettes is also bad for your heart and lungs. If you live with someone who smokes, encourage him or her to quit.

Control your blood pressure. Treating high blood pressure can lower your risk of heart attack and stroke. Losing weight, exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet are all ways to help control high blood pressure. Reducing how much salt you consume can also help. If these steps don't lower your blood pressure, your doctor may recommend medicine for you to take.

Control your cholesterol level. If you don't know your level, ask your doctor to check it. Diet is a key part of lowering high cholesterol levels. However, some people may need to take medicine in addition to diet and exercise.

Maintain a healthy weight. Extra weight puts strain on your heart and arteries. Exercise and a low-fat diet can help you lose weight. Being overweight means you have a higher risk for many other health problems, especially diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. If you're overweight, talk to your doctor about a safe and effective way to lose weight.

Exercise regularly. Remember, your heart is a muscle. It needs regular exercise to stay in shape. Aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, swimming, jogging or biking, gives your heart the best workout. You can also use fitness equipment like exercise bicycles, treadmills and ski machines when exercising indoors. Finding an exercise partner may make it easier and safer for you to exercise often. You should exercise at least 30 to 60 minutes, 4 to 6 times a week. Talk to your doctor before starting an exercise program.

Eat a low-fat diet. Keep fat calories to 30% or less of the total calories you eat during a day and avoid saturated fat (the fat in meats and coconut oil). Information is available to help you make healthy choices. For example, food labels list nutrition information, including fat calories, many cookbooks have heart-healthy recipes, and some restaurants serve low-fat dishes.
Take care of diabetes. If you have diabetes, regular exercise, weight control, a low-fat diet and regular doctor visits are important. If you need to take medicine for diabetes, be sure to take it exactly as your doctor tells you to.

Be aware of chest pain. Be sure to contact your doctor immediately if you suffer from pain in your chest, shoulder, neck or jaw. Also notify your doctor if you experience shortness of breath or nausea that comes on quickly. If you are having a heart attack, the faster you can get to the hospital, the less damage will happen to your heart. Every second counts.

Know your family history. Having a father or brother with heart disease before age 55, or a mother or sister with heart disease before age 65, are factors that contribute to heart disease. Inform your doctor about your family history.

Cholesterol-lowering medicines lower the risk of heart attacks in men. However, there is not enough evidence to show that these medicines work as well in women who have never had a heart attack. If you have already had a heart attack, cholesterol-lowering medicines can lower your risk of another attack.

Taking an aspirin every day may lower your risk of problems if you have coronary artery disease, a heart attack or angina. Aspirin makes your blood thinner, so it is less likely to make a blood clot. However, aspirin can cause gastrointestinal bleeding and other problems. Talk to your doctor about your risk factors for heart disease and whether you should consider taking aspirin.

Angina is chest pain caused by a sudden decrease in the blood supply to the heart. Medicines called statins, beta-blockers and ACE inhibitors may also help if you have heart problems. Ask your doctor if any of these medicines are right for you.

No. Estrogen replacement therapy, also called hormone replacement therapy, can help minimize the symptoms of menopause (such as hot flashes) and to reduce the risk of osteoporosis (weakening of the bones). It was once thought that HRT could also help protect against heart disease. New studies have shown that when it comes to heart health, HRT actually does more harm than good. If you’re taking HRT to help prevent heart disease, talk to your doctor about whether you should stop.

5. How much exercise do I need to help protect my heart?
6. Should I take aspirin to help prevent a heart attack? If so, how much and how often?
7. Am I at high risk for heart-related complications if I take birth control pills?
8. I’ve heard the warning signs of a heart attack can be different in women. What should I look for?

Heart Specialists at Wockhardt Hospitals have found an extremely advantageous surgical procedures which will offer a permanent solution during "Atrial fibrillation"-An Abnormal fast beating of the heart caused by disturbed electrical discharges.The surgery uses the technique of irrigated radio frequency modified maze procedure,which is performed to treat trial fibrillation along with an open heart surgery for valve replacement

Wockhardt Hospitals is the 1st hospital chain in India to treat Chronic Atrial Fibrillation using Maze III procedure.

Atrial fibrillation is usually accompanied by symptoms related to a rapid heart rate. Rapid and irregular heart rates may be perceived as palpitations, exercise intolerance, and occasionally produce angina .

To know more about Wockhardt Hospitals expertise in cardiac and heart care,log onto http://www.wockhardthospitals.net

Minimally Invasive procedure or Minimal Access Surgery involved doing surgery with minimum incision on the affected areas of the body.This kind of surgery which is also sometimes reffered to as 'Keyhole Surgery' is fairly a recent development.

The Wockhart Minimal Access Surgery Department is equipped with High-end technology to perform precision and targeted surgery which until recently required large incisions Minimally Invasive techniques encompasses operative procedures for the Heart, abdomen, urinary tract, reproductive system and joints. This technology not only minimizes surgical trauma, pain and blood loss but also shortens hospitalization stay and recovery time, since the trauma due to blood loss and wound is less which helps a patient to recover faster.

Wockhardt Center for Minimal Access Surgery has acquired the complete range of Endoscopic technology required to carry out Minimal Access Surgery with a complete range of high precision hand instruments.

For more information on Wockhardt Hospitals Minimally Invasive Surgery Techniques log onto http://www.wockhardthospitals.net

Nobody wanted to treat a 12 year old girl with a congenital cardiac defect of criss-crossed ventricles and arteries. Medication could only do much and a temporary fix of the valves would only buy time.However our clinical team at Wockhardt Hospitals wanted more for that girl,we wanted to give back her life.It took a whole year of tests and scans and high risk surgeries to re arrange the girls heart; but in the end we challenged the odds and emerged successful.

A 13-year-old girl from Coorg went through a series of surgeries to correct the wrong positioning of ventricles and arteries in her heart. Congenital cardiac defects of this nature, called congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries, affects not more than one per cent of children born with heart problems. She also had situs inversus, which means all her organs are positioned on the opposite side, including the heart.

In the latest and the most complicated surgery so far, this second child of a farmer couple underwent the double switch operation after left ventricular ‘retraining’ at Wockhardt Hospitals. The pumping chambers and the great arteries, both are inter-changed. That has set right the anomalies in the circulation in her body.The left-sided organs are in the right and vice versa. Her heart is on the right side.” In such patients, the risks are doubled. The heart may start failing as it cannot cope with the body’s requirement of blood circulation with swapped ventricles. Or the heart could develop blocks as the electrical systems of the heart are abnormal. Click here to know more .

However at Wockhardt Hospitals, we dont merely save lives.. we help create and give meaning to India's new generation.

To know more more our pediatric cardiac surgery department and Cardiac Super Specialty Services visit our website at http://www.wockhardthospitals.net/

At Wockhardt Hospitals we believe that a heart ailment is not cured until the patient walks out feeling as good as new.Which is why our 360 degree heart care is a combination of state of art surgery and world class port operative facilities. From Cardio workouts to monitoring we help you to get back on your feet as soon as possible. Because we don’t just perform surgeries, we put people back in their lives.

The Wockhardt Cardiac Rehabilitation center is exclusively meant for post operative care to heart patients. We believe in exercise programs that are tailor made to suit the patients’ medical conditions. You are requested to contact doctors at wockhardt or your GP before beginning any exercise program.

Poor breathing robs energy and negatively affects mental alertness. Unless breathing is exercised, aging affects the respiratory system as follows:

Stiffness: The rib cage and surrounding muscles get stiff causing inhalation to become difficult.

Less elasticity and weak muscles leave stale air in the tissues of the lungs and prevents fresh oxygen from reaching the blood stream.

Rapid, Shallow Breathing: This type of breathing, often caused by poor posture and weak or stiff muscles, leads to poor oxygen supply, respiratory disease, sluggishness, or heart disease.

The following exercises are simple ways to deepen breathing and to cleanse the lungs. These exercises will also increase energy and decrease tension.

Lie flat on your back on a reclined bed and get a proper sense of deep breathing. (You can use pillows ) You also need to support the site of surgery with a cushion. The natural course of breathing in that position will create a slight rise in the stomach upon inhaling and a slight fall upon exhaling.)