Dr Aveen Mahabal is a partner at Umhlanga Hospital Cardiology Practice, part of a
team that includes Drs YT Singh, Connel Barnabas and Deya Ramachandran.
“I had my heart set on becoming an astrophysicist,” smiles cardiologist Aveen Mahabal. “Thanks to my parents who were educators – who encouraged and guided me – I loved science at school, did well at maths and physics, and was accepted to study engineering.” He shrugs, “But by that time, I’d developed a real interest in medicine. It’s seemed more exciting to me.” and today, I can’t imagine doing anything else.”
Aveen completed his medical degree at the University of Natal, obtained his specialist physician qualification, then trained and worked as a cardiologist at Durban’s Albert Luthuli Hospital. “For me, cardiology was the most logical of the medical specialisations – a perfect fit for me.”
In 2019, Aveen joined Dr YT Singh’s practice, and has been there for five years. His key interest lies in interventional cardiology, and he’s attended courses globally, in particular, the Interventional Cardiologists Association of the USA (SCAI): “Interventional cardiology is where we examine the heart’s structure, and aim to improve its function by inserting coronary stents to improve blood flow, implanting pacemakers for abnormal heart rhythms, and generally improving functionality to give patients a better quality of life.” He adds, “Cardiology has become so advanced, that interacting globally with other young cardiologists – as well as the older, highly experienced ones – is invaluable. What was done ten to twenty years ago is very different from today. The knowledge base is far better, and the equipment and tools more advanced.”
For Aveen, his relationship with his patients is an important and enjoyable aspect of his work: “Spending those extra minutes with each patient, listening and explaining the disease process, can make a world of difference to how compliant and understanding they are.”
Beyond that, Aveen champions preventative measures, particularly in those with a family history of heart disease: “Family history can be a significant risk factor. So often as cardiologists, we only see patients when they’re in heart failure. I encourage those whose parents suffered from heart disease in their fifties and sixties, to get their own heart health assessed in their forties. It’s a silent disease. By seeing a cardiologist early, we stand a good chance of prevention.”
Aveen cannot overemphasise the value of working in a private practice within a respected hospital group: “The advantage is the continuity of care. Dr YT Singh established this practice 35 years ago, and today, we have a great specialist surgical team 24/7, 365 days, all of whom can handle any cardiac emergency. Equally, we’re in a hospital filled with specialists of other disciplines, and we can access them and that giant body of knowledge at any time. That’s why our system here works so well for patient care.”
For Aveen, “Working long days is integral to this career. Being married to Dr Deya Ramachandran – a partner in the practice – means we fully understand the demands, challenges and immense rewards of working in this field. That allows us to be pillars of strength and support to each other.”
Heart health is always important, and one of the ingredients is exercise…which sees Aveen out on the roads, running, as his preferred form of exercise and stress relief. He smiles, “My dad has run eight Comrades Marathons, so he’s my inspiration. I’ve a way to go!”
Details: www.cardiologists.co.za; 031 566 1600;
reception@cardiologists.co.za
