My Feature In The New Indian Express
ALAPPUZHA: Cardiac arrest is the major killer disease in the world followed by cancer. As per the studies of the World Health Organisation (WHO), around 4,820 people die due to cardiac arrest every year in India alone.
The deficiency of High Density Lipoprotein (HDL)cholesterol is the main reason of the heart attack. Till now, there are no medicines developed by scientific community to increase the level of HDL.
Now, a ray of hope is emerged from Kayamkulam. A cardiologist observed that the use of sesame oil can increase the level of HDL in blood, opening a new dimension in the research about the coronary heart diseases.
The scientific article -- prepared after 11 years of study -- published by cardiologist K K Mathew in the official publication of Cardiological Society of India’s Kerala Chapter, states that regular consumption of sesame oil can raise the level of ‘good cholesterol.’
In the article, he introduced a new condition - ‘Acquired Hyper High-Density Lipoproteinemia’ where the serum HDL level rises abnormally up to a level of 115 mg%. The maximum normal upper level of serum HDL level is 70 mg%. The abnormal rise in serum HDL level will give relief to the patient from coronary heart disease. Such a condition can prevent the progression of coronary heart disease, the article said.
Dr Mathew, a recipient of the Best Doctor Award of the state government in 1997, had written the article based on the study on a 70-year-old heart patient. The patient approached him in 2003 with heart disease.
She had lived in Chennai and relocated to Kattanam near Kayamkulam after the disease. After relocating to Kerala, she started to use sesame oil for food preparation, and the level of HDL cholesterol started to rise. In the 11 years’ of observation the level of HDL varies from 105 to 115, Mathew said. During the scrutiny of the HDL level of her brothers and sisters, it was found below below 70.
According to Dr Anand Sreenivasan, Consultant Interventional Cardiologist, St Gregorios Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases, Parumala, Thiruvalla, currently there are no medications to increase the concentration of HDL.
“Many drugs were introduced but none got past the trial phase because of the side effects. An effective medicine (without major side effects) to increase HDL will be a great boon to manage cholesterol related diseases like coronary artery disease, strokes etc.
Dr Mathew’s observation is an important one. As far as I know, such findings have not been reported. This could become an important breakthrough if it can be proved in well conducted trials because we desperately need a new medicine to raise HDL,” said Dr Anand.
The expert panel of the journal was selecting case studies only after validation of the article. So, the finding of Dr Mathew could open the door for further studies which can lead to a break-through in the treatment of Coronary Heart Disease.