Vivekanand Medical Institute, Palampur

18/09/2025

Hypertension (Blood Pressure) & Kidney Disease:

Hypertension (high blood pressure) can cause, and is worsened by, kidney disease, forming a dangerous, bidirectional cycle. High blood pressure damages the delicate blood vessels in the kidneys, impairing their ability to filter waste and fluid from the blood, which in turn increases blood pressure. Conversely, damaged kidneys can't properly regulate blood pressure and fluid levels, leading to higher blood pressure. Managing both conditions is crucial to prevent progression to kidney failure and severe cardiovascular disease.
How Hypertension Affects Kidneys
Damaged Blood Vessels: High blood pressure can narrow, weaken, and harden the arteries in the kidneys.
Reduced Blood Flow: This damage reduces blood flow to the kidneys, depriving them of oxygen and essential nutrients.
Impaired Filtration: When kidney blood vessels are damaged, the kidneys can't effectively filter waste and excess fluid from the blood.
Harmful Cycle: The body accumulates extra fluid and waste, which further elevates blood pressure, creating a vicious cycle that leads to more kidney damage.
How Kidney Disease Affects Blood Pressure
Fluid and Salt Retention: Damaged kidneys struggle to regulate fluid and electrolyte balance, leading to a buildup of fluid and salt in the body.
Hormonal Imbalance: Kidneys also produce hormones that help control blood pressure. Damaged kidneys may not function properly in this regard, which can lead to higher blood pressure.
Preventative and Management Strategies
Healthy Lifestyle: Adopting a healthy lifestyle that includes a balanced diet, reduced salt intake, regular exercise, weight management, and limiting alcohol can help control blood pressure and reduce the risk of kidney disease.
Regular Monitoring: If you have high blood pressure or other risk factors for kidney disease (like diabetes), regular blood and urine tests can help detect kidney problems early.
Medical Treatment: Doctors can prescribe medications, such as ACE inhibitors or ARBs, to help widen blood vessels and increase salt and water loss, which helps lower blood pressure and protect the kidneys.
Medication Adherence: Sticking to your prescribed treatment plan, including medications and lifestyle changes, is vital for slowing kidney damage and managing both conditions.

To know more- Meet our Specialist

Dr. Kuldeep Kumar
MBBS, MD Medicine, DNB Nephrology
Consultant Nephrologist
Director Dialysis Services

18/09/2025

Laser Lithotripsy:
Laser lithotripsy is a medical procedure that uses a laser to break up kidney stones into smaller fragments, making them easier to pass naturally or remove during the procedure. It is a minimally invasive technique often performed with a ureteroscope to guide a laser fiber through a scope inserted into the urinary tract. The fragmented stone pieces are then either flushed out with urine or removed with a small basket.

Purpose
Stone Fragmentation: The laser energy breaks down large or irregularly shaped stones in the kidney, bladder, ureter, or urethra into tiny, sand-like pieces.
Removal: These smaller fragments can then be passed out of the body in the urine or removed with a small basket passed through the scope.
Procedure
Ureteroscopy: A ureteroscope, which is a thin tube with a camera on the end, is inserted into the urinary tract.
Laser Fiber Insertion: A flexible laser fiber is then passed through the scope to reach the stone.
Laser Application: The laser is used to fragment the stone into smaller pieces.
Removal: The fragmented pieces are either removed with instruments like a basket or are intended to pass out of the body in the urine.
Ureteral Stent (Optional): A small, flexible tube called a ureteral stent may be placed in the ureter to help urine and stone fragments pass.
When It's Performed
It is used when other non-surgical treatments for kidney stones have failed.
It's performed when kidney stones are too large, have an irregular shape, or are causing damage to the surrounding tissue.
It's often used in combination with ureteroscopy (URS) for stones up to 2 centimeters.
Recovery
Patients typically go home the same day.
It is normal to experience some blood in the urine, discomfort, and bladder irritation after the procedure, which usually resolves once the stent is removed.
Drinking plenty of fluids is recommended.

03/09/2025

A lifestyle high in stress and sedentary behaviors significantly increases the risk of heart disease by contributing to conditions like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and obesity, which damage arteries and reduce blood flow. Regular physical activity is crucial for strengthening the heart and preventing heart disease, while stress management techniques like exercise, relaxation, and social connection can mitigate its negative effects on cardiovascular health
*How Stress Contributes to Heart Disease*
*High Blood Pressure:*
Chronic stress can elevate blood pressure, a major risk factor for heart disease.
*Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms:*
Stress often leads to unhealthy habits like overeating, smoking, and alcohol consumption, all of which further harm heart health.
*Artery Damage:*
Stress can contribute to damage in the arteries and promote plaque buildup, narrowing them and restricting blood flow.
How a Sedentary Lifestyle Contributes to Heart Disease
*Reduced Exercise:*
Lack of regular physical activity, a defining feature of a sedentary lifestyle, directly weakens the heart and impairs its function.
*Obesity and Weight Gain:*
Inactivity is a significant factor in weight gain and obesity, both of which are established risk factors for various heart diseases.
*Increased Risk of Chronic Conditions:*
A sedentary lifestyle is a known risk factor for other conditions that exacerbate heart disease risk, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, and certain cancers.
*Lifestyle Changes to Prevent Heart Disease*
*Increase Physical Activity:*
Regular exercise strengthens the heart and improves cardiovascular health. Aim for regular, consistent movement throughout the day to break up prolonged periods of sitting.
*Manage Stress:*
Implement stress-reducing strategies such as exercise, relaxation techniques, and spending time with friends and family to promote overall well-being.
*Maintain a Healthy Diet:*
A diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and lean proteins, while limiting processed foods, fats, and sugars, is essential for heart health.
*Quit Smoking:*
Smoking is a primary cause of heart disease and should be avoided or stopped.
*Limit Alcohol:*
Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to heart problems and should be limited.

03/09/2025

Bronchial Asthma
A condition in which a person's airways become inflamed, narrow and swell and produce extra mucus, which makes it difficult to breathe.
Asthma can be minor or it can interfere with daily activities. In some cases, it may lead to a life-threatening attack.

Asthma may cause difficulty breathing, chest pain, cough and wheezing. The symptoms may sometimes flare up.

Asthma can usually be managed with rescue inhalers to treat symptoms (salbutamol) and controller inhalers that prevent symptoms (steroids). Severe cases may require longer-acting inhalers that keep the airways open (formoterol, salmeterol, tiotropium), as well as inhalant steroids.

Symptoms
Requires a medical diagnosis
Asthma may cause difficulty breathing, chest pain, cough and wheezing. The symptoms may sometimes flare up.
People may experience
Cough: can occur at night, during exercise, can be chronic, dry, with phlegm, mild or severe
Respiratory: difficulty breathing, wheezing, breathing through the mouth, fast breathing, frequent respiratory infections, rapid breathing or shortness of breath at night
Also common: chest pressure, flare, anxiety, early awakening, fast heart rate or throat irritation.

Treatments
Treatment is self care and bronchodilators to prevent flare ups and manage symptoms
Asthma can usually be managed with rescue inhalers to treat symptoms (salbutamol) and controller inhalers that prevent symptoms (steroids). Severe cases may require longer-acting inhalers that keep the airways open (formoterol, salmeterol, tiotropium), as well as inhalant steroids.
Medications.
Bronchodilator, Steroid and Anti-inflammatory.

To know more meet our expert

Prof. Dr. CDS Katoch
MBBS, MD Medicine, MD Pulmonary Medicine, DNB, FICP, FICS.
Sr. Consultant Pulmonologist.

01/09/2025

Brain Stroke:

Damage to the brain from interruption of its blood supply.
A stroke is a medical emergency.

Symptoms of stroke include trouble walking, speaking and understanding, as well as paralysis or numbness of the face, arm or leg.

Early treatment with medication like tPA (clot buster) can minimize brain damage. Other treatments focus on limiting complications and preventing additional strokes.

Requires a medical diagnosis
Symptoms of stroke include trouble walking, speaking and understanding, as well as paralysis or numbness of the face, arm or leg.
People may experience:
Muscular: difficulty walking, paralysis with weak muscles, problems with coordination, stiff muscles, overactive reflexes, or paralysis of one side of the body
Visual: blurred vision, double vision, sudden visual loss, or temporary loss of vision in one eye
Whole body: fatigue, light-headedness, or vertigo
Speech: difficulty speaking, slurred speech, or speech loss
Sensory: pins and needles or reduced sensation of touch
Facial: muscle weakness or numbness
Limbs: numbness or weakness
Also common: balance disorder, difficulty swallowing, headache, inability to understand, mental confusion, or rapid involuntary eye movement.

Urgent intervention to revascularize the impacted area and prevent residual damage
Early treatment with medication like tPA (clot buster) can minimize brain damage. Other treatments focus on limiting complications and preventing additional strokes.
Medications
Alteplase, Anticoagulant, Statin, Antihypertensive drug and ACE inhibitor
Supportive care
Cardiac monitoring
Surgery
Carotid endarterectomy
Therapies
Speech therapy, Rehabilitation, Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy and Stroke rehabilitation.

To know more meet our expert

Dr. Roopakshi Pathania
MBBS, MD, DM Neurology
Consultant Neurologist
VMI, Palampur.

30/08/2025

BPH
Age-associated prostate gland enlargement that can cause urination difficulty.
This type of prostate enlargement isn't thought to be a precursor to prostate cancer.

With this condition, the urinary stream may be weak or stop and start. In some cases, it can lead to infection, bladder stones and reduced kidney function.

Treatments include medication that relaxes or shrinks the prostate, surgery and minimally invasive surgery.

Symptoms
Requires a medical diagnosis
With this condition, the urinary stream may be weak or stop and start. In some cases, it can lead to infection, bladder stones and reduced kidney function.
People may experience
Urinary: dribbling after urination, excessive urination at night, frequent urination, sense of incomplete bladder emptying, urge to urinate and leaking or weak urinary stream
Also common: incontinence or sexual dysfunction.

Treatments
Treatment consists of supportive care and urinary retention medications
Treatments include medication that relaxes or shrinks the prostate, surgery and minimally invasive surgery.

Any of you suffering with BPH, meet our expert
Dr. Sahil Kapoor
MBBS, MS, MCH Urology
Consultant Urologist
VMI, Palampur

15/08/2025

Happy Independence Day to all—let’s dream big and build a nation worthy of our freedom

23/07/2025

13th Anniversary Celebration:

Date: 23 July 2025
Subject: Vivekanand Medical Institute Celebrates 13th Anniversary with New Specialties and Community Contributions

A Milestone Celebration Marked by Growth, Gratitude, and Giving Back

Palampur, Himachal Pradesh — Vivekanand Medical Institute celebrated its 13th Anniversary on 23rd July 2025 with great pride and enthusiasm. The occasion marked over a decade of commitment to providing compassionate, quality, and accessible healthcare to the people of the region.

The event was graced by Hon’ble Chief Guest Sh. Shanta Kumar Ji, former Chief Minister and Union Minister, whose presence honored the institute and inspired the gathering.

On this special day, all staff members were congratulated by the Chief Guest and other dignitaries, appreciating their dedication, resilience, and tireless efforts in serving humanity.

Dr. Vimal Dubey, Director of Vivekanand Medical Institute, addressed the gathering and extended his heartfelt congratulations to the entire team. He spoke about the hospital’s journey of growth, its unwavering commitment to patient care, and the vision for future expansion.

During the ceremony, new specialties were officially announced, including:
• Urology
• Nephrology
• Pulmonology
• Critical Care

These additions mark a significant step forward in enhancing the hospital’s ability to provide comprehensive and advanced care.

Demonstrating a strong sense of social responsibility, Vivekanand Medical Institute also raised and contributed ₹5.50 lakhs to aid relief efforts for the recent disasters caused by heavy rains in the region. This initiative highlights the institute’s commitment not just to healthcare but to humanity.

As Vivekanand Medical Institute enters its 14th year, it remains devoted to its mission of delivering ethical, affordable, and quality healthcare while staying rooted in compassion and community service.

01/07/2025

Happy Doctors Day

21/06/2025

12/05/2025

Thank you for your compassion, dedication, and unwavering commitment to patient care. Happy Nurses Day!