National and international experts debated and emphasised the need for innovation and technological advancements and role of imaging techniques as the latest interventions in cardiology.

They highlighted the percutaneous cardio-vascular interventions designed for cardiologists, vascular medicine specialists and other health care professionals at the recently concluded 11th India Live national conference themed "Interventional Cardiology: From Clinic to Cutting Edge.

"Updated designs and improved deliverability in heart stents are helping doctors' access and unblock complex lesions with flexibility and precision like never before," Dr Samuel Mathew, Chief Interventional Cardiologist at Lilavati Hospital and Research Centre, Mumbai said. "Technology is now bringing us heart stents according to specific patient needs. Since lifestyles are rapidly changing, the disease profiles are also varied. Hence, we do not recommend the same kind of heart stent for every person.

"For instance, in patients with a higher risk of in-stent restenosis (re- narrowing/blockages), I prefer stents like Xience that have evidence of reduced re-blockages compared to some of the other stents. Such technologies are bringing a new dimension to how we treat patients and helping improve patient outcomes," he said. Said Dr Krishna Sudhir, Divisional Vice President of Medical Affairs at Abbott Vascular, "Stents that undergo rigorous research and clinical trials before they enter the market are a preferred choice. Clinical evidence should really be the primary basis for selecting stents,"

In a country which represents 49 percent of the world's diabetes burden, with hypertension and obesity becoming major health challenges, experts stressed on the need for making advanced technologies more accessible. India's diabetes burden is expected to almost double to 134 million by 2025. Studies suggest a high prevalence of coronary artery disease (CAD) even in asymptomatic and relatively young diabetic population.

"But technological advancements are helping us address this CAD problem in diabetics. Options like Everolimus Eluting Stent (EES), which has been designed to improve safety and efficacy compared with earlier-generation stents, are improving patient outcomes. The need of the hour is to ensure that such technological breakthroughs are available and accessible," Dr Ashok Seth, Chairman, Fortis Escorts Heart Institute.