• The risk quotient of heart attacks among Indians is 2 to 4 times greater than others
  •  50% of heart attacks among Indians occur in people under 50 years of age
  •  Real-life patient experiences and treatment by Expert doctors are being filmed to spread awareness and sensitize Indians about the risk of Heart Attacks.
  •  BIMA is a very safe and long-lasting method of treating coronary artery disease.

Hyderabad, February 2024:

Indo-American filmmaker and physician Dr Nirmal Joshi and renowned cardiac surgeon Dr Prateek Bhatnagar, Chairman, Cardiac Surgery and Chief Cardiac Surgeon Virinchi Hospitals held a press conference today at Virinchi Hospitals, Banjara Hills Hyderabad. USA-based Dr Nirmal Joshi is shooting a film that deals with the high incidence of heart disease seen in Indians all over the world. Dr Joshi is interviewing leading heart specialists of the world and enumerating their experiences in treating the patients. He has completed the shooting in the US & UK and is now shooting the Indian leg.

Dr Nirmal Joshi addressing the media said that India has unequivocally some of the best doctors in the world, whether they are practicing in India or abroad in the UK, USA, Australia, or wherever, the Doctors make a name for themselves like no one else and that he is very proud of that. The film he is producing is called “The Brown Heart” He has done about 35 to 40 years of healthcare practice, taking care of patients. When he takes care of a patient, he impacts that one life, similarly when Dr Bhatnagar takes care of that person, he impacts that life. He (Dr Joshi) thought that he needed to do much bigger, which impacts several lives simultaneously, which is what led him to conceptualize the concept of brown heart. The reason for calling this, Brown Heart is that the Indian heart is unique, the reason why it is different, it is well known now that a lot of people suffer from heart attacks very early in life, and many die of heart attacks very early in life. 50% of heart attacks across the world in Indians/and persons of Indian Origin occur in people less than 50 years of age. Among Indians, the incidence of heart disease is 2 to 4 times more than others. There were deaths reported during the Garbha performance, of people exercising in the Gym who were 19, 25, and 30 years old; they had sudden deaths due to heart attacks. To quote the latest instance he cited that Dr Bhatnagar has operated on a person as young as 19 years old.

Dr. Joshi vehemently stated that such instances as above have to stop right away and that is the prime reason and motivational driver to produce this documentary “The Brown Heart”. He also mentioned that while the medical community often voices its concern to the people through various forums people have not taken serious note of it which propelled him to do something on a much bigger scale through a real film with real characters and instances of life and experiences to awaken Indian Youth and Indian populace across the world. He then gave shape to the idea and together with his wife went across the world to talk to experts and also to capture human stories of patients they treated and what the patients underwent in their lives by doing or not doing certain things to get a heart attack. His team is putting all of this together in the form of a beautiful story, which will be very engaging for people to be able to look at and relate thereto and benefit from the living experiences of other patients. The last one-third of the film will be focused on what one can do about this problem of early onset of heart disease. The release of the film should be sometime in June 2024. He mentioned that Dr Prateek Bhatnagar has phenomenal talent, and he has narrowed it down to a particular surgery called BIMA Grafting, which he has absolutely mastered.

Dr Joshi added that in Hyderabad, Dr. Prateek Bhatnagar, a top heart surgeon, has been chosen to feature in the film and explain what ails the Indian hearts. Dr Bhatnagar is a world authority in BIMA bypass surgery, a method of bypass surgery that gives more than 20 years of benefits. In BIMA bypass surgery there are no cuts in the legs or hands and is hence the most painless and trauma-less surgery. He expressed happiness at the overall improvement in the healthcare infrastructure in India and also lauded the facilities available in Virinchi Hospitals.

Dr Prateek Bhatnagar spoke about the wide benefits of BIMA bypass surgery and how this surgery, done at less than 1% risk in standard cases, has already improved the quality & quantity of life in his patients. He stated that all patients needing a bypass surgery of the heart should get a BIMA bypass surgery for maximum benefits. BIMA bypass surgery gives long life to the patient, as it’s done not in the conventional bypass surgery mode where there would be a stoppage of the heart and long cuts on the chest and legs or hands. Instead, there are no long cuts on the chest, the Heart is not stopped but it continues to beat during the surgery, an artificial heart-lung machine is not used and there are no cuts for veins on the legs or hands. Surgery is done on a beating heart, and all the risk factors like stroke, kidney damage, liver damage etc can be excluded. Mr V Satyanarayana Vice Chairman Virinchi Group felicitated Dr Nirmal Joshi and Dr Prateek Bhatnagar and lauded their commitment to the spread of education to prevent cardiovascular disease and Dr A Sai Ravi Shanker, President Virinchi Hospitals proposed a vote of thanks.