Cardiologist honored for bringing international focus to life's work
"What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived," Nelson Mandela once said. "It is what difference we have made to the life of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead."
The quote has defined the career of Dr. DP Suresh, who says his passion for cardiology stems from his personal life and his patients.
A native of India, his father developed heart disease in his 40s, when Dr. Suresh was still in high school. Unfortunately, he remained undiagnosed for years. It was only when Dr. Suresh started practicing medicine that he realized his father's symptoms were heart related and he urged him to get the correct treatment. Thankfully, his dad is now 92 and doing well. His mother died several years ago from heart failure.
Dr. Suresh has continued to follow this passion through his career as a cardiologist and executive medical director at St. Elizabeth Heart and Vascular Institute in the Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky area. He will receive the Ron Haddock International Impact Award for his efforts to bring the American Heart Association's programs and protocols to India and other countries.
Named for Haddock, who was the AHA's 2012-13 chairperson of the board, the award recognizes exemplary contributions to global efforts. Suresh will be honored Thursday, May 2, in the AHA's online National Volunteer Awards ceremony, from 6 to 8 p.m. Central.
His many years of involvement with the American Heart Association — with roles as Board president of the Cincinnati Chapter and Great Rivers Affiliate of the Midwest region — got him excited about the work the association does in North America, and he wanted to see other countries benefit from it.
Four years ago, Dr. Suresh approached AHA leaders with an idea: "How can we improve the care of patients not just in North America, but also internationally, and how do we develop quality programs in heart disease and stroke globally?" Now, the AHA has started this work in the Middle East, India and North Africa.
In America, hospitals follow specific policies and processes for patients who come into the ER with chest pain. For example, patients in America typically get an EKG within the first 10 minutes, and a doctor reviews the test results immediately. Then providers follow a treatment plan for those who are having heart attacks versus those who are not.
In India and other countries, systems do not follow clear processes and protocols, although they are needed. With Suresh's input, the AHA, in 2023, chose four health systems in various parts of India to launch pilot programs to implement protocols for patients visiting emergency rooms with heart symptoms.
India is in dire need of systems-based heart care, Dr. Suresh said. In fact, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in India. This was not the case 20 years ago, when the leading cause of death was diarrhea and other infectious diseases.
Now, heart disease tops the list — and its cousin, stroke, is in the top five leading causes of death. Poor health habits such as living a sedentary lifestyle and unhealthy eating are encroaching on Indian communities. These gaps in care are alarming to Dr. Suresh.
Heart disease has dramatically increased, due to a rise in fast-food culture, high stress levels and lack of sleep. Smoking in India has become more prevalent, and now vaping has started to increase, with stores selling vapes as a better alternative to cigarettes, and the sweet flavors are targeting children. Vaping is three to five times worse than smoking, Dr. Suresh said. In vaping, the intense dose of nicotine goes straight to the brain.
"It is in our hands to make a better world for all who live in it," Dr. Suresh said. "The American Heart Association strives to keep reducing the impact of heart disease and stroke for patients everywhere."
