Gleneagles Global Health City opens the latest "Fatty Liver Clinic in Chennai"
Photo Caption: 'Actor K Bhagyaraj inaugurated the latest Fatty Liver clinic at Gleneagles Global Health City, Chennai in the esteemed presence of Dr K Ravindranathand Dr Joy Varghese.'
Chennai, May 3rd 2019: Gleneagles Global Health City inaugurates the latest Fatty Liver clinic in Chennai today to address the rising issues of non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases affecting a majority of the young population. The clinic was inaugurated in the esteemed presence of actor and director K Bhagyaraj and Dr K Ravindranath, Chairman, Gleneagles Global Hospitals.
The clinic will be led by an expert team of doctors consisting of Dr Joy Varghese, Dr Vivek Vij, Dr Harikumar Nair, Dr Puneet Dargan, Dr Selvakumar, Dr Ellango and Dr Rajanikanth Patcha
The number of Hepatitis B cases reported is on the rise among youngsters, particularly, in the age group of 15 and 20 years. Regular screening has been made mandatory and in view of this, the clinic aims at providing an all-inclusive evaluation and treatment facilities along with creating awareness around lifestyle modification in order to keep liver diseases at bay. Besides this, the centre is equipped with a specialized ultrasound machine called Fibroscan, which measures fibrosis (scarring) and steatosis (fatty change) in the liver.
Dr K Ravindranath, Chairman, Gleneagles Hospitals Group says “Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease also known as a silent killer often displays no symptoms until the liver is damaged extensively. There has been a steady increase in cases of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in Chennai. It is our duty to enlighten citizens about the disease and how it can be avoided by bringing in lifestyle changes. This clinic will be a testimony to our commitment in providing advanced quality care for liver diseases in India. Patients who visit the clinic will be offered with tailor-made treatment which will be designed keeping his/her immediate and long-term requirements in mind.
Dr Joy Varghese – Director, Hepatology and Transplant Hepatology, Gleneagles Global Health City said “Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) is a condition where the excess fat gets accumulated in the liver of people who drink less or no alcohol. When more than 5% - 10% percent of the liver's weight is made up of fat, it is called a fatty liver (Steatosis). NAFLD begins with a simple fatty liver and slowly progresses to advanced liver failure or liver cancer over one or two decades”.
“Currently, 9 to 35% Indians are suffering from fatty liver and the problem is increasing with time, mainly due to change in lifestyle and dietary pattern. Fatty liver disease is completely reversible without medication by lifestyle modification and is preventable to a great extent by avoiding junk / fast foods, regular exercise (walking for 45 minutes per day for at least 5 days in a week) and by cutting the intake of carbohydrate” says Dr Joy Varghese
Recent clinical studies on fatty liver have shown that there is significant reduction in survival in NASH patients as compared to non-NASH group. Suffering due to fatty liver related end-stage liver disease is also a major concern. Risk of liver cancer due to NAFLD is also in rising trend. Globally, liver cancer is the fourth commonest cause of cancer related death.
