The Department of Cardiology at Tamil Nadu Government Multi Super Speciality Hospital (TNGMSSH), Omandurar Government Estate, is buzzing with action every day! Nearly 600 patients come here daily, making it one of Tamil Nadu’s busiest government cardiac care centres. Over ten years, the department has performed a staggering 31,157 interventional heart procedures in its state-of-the-art cardiac cath lab. These include important treatments like coronary angiogram, angioplasty, mitral valve repair without surgery, different device closures for heart defects, pacemaker implants, and even complicated valve replacements. "We welcome patients from across Tamil Nadu and nearby places like Puducherry. Many are referred to us. We have two big wards for men and women, around 100 beds, and seven intensive care units with 60 beds," shares J. Cecily Mary Majella, the brilliant professor and head of Cardiology at TNGMSSH. One standout is their huge success in closing atrial septal defects (ASD) - a hole between the heart’s upper chambers. Young women especially benefit since a percutaneous (through the skin) method avoids open-heart surgery and leaves no chest scars. Out of 340 ASD closures, 290 patients were young women! More amazing feats include treating a 73-year-old man—the world’s oldest for a ruptured sinus of Valsalva (RSOV) device closure—and even handling a complex double RSOV closure in a 22-year-old patient. Their expertise extends to 220 electrophysiological studies and ablation for irregular heart rhythms. Dr. Majella’s dedication earned her an award from the Asia Pacific Vascular Interventional Society for saving lives in very rare cases. This year, the team published two important research papers in the European Heart Journal. These papers studied heart attacks in young people under 45, especially before and after the COVID-19 pandemic, using data from over 10,000 patients! Dr. Majella warns about the grim rise in heart attacks across all ages and urges early screening for blood pressure, sugar, and cholesterol. "Heart attacks are mostly preventable. Regular check-ups, good diet, and less stress can save lives. We’re seeing more sudden cardiac deaths in people under 45," she cautions. She recommends basic tests like ECG and ECHO, and seeing a cardiologist if needed, to catch heart issues early. In short, TNGMSSH’s Cardiology Department is a powerhouse of heart care, saving thousands and pushing the frontiers of medical science with pioneering treatments and life-changing research.