Dr. Morepen Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Morepen Laboratories Ltd., has introduced a specialized therapy in the area of preventive cardiology and diabetology in a non-hospital environment for the first time in India.

The therapy, called External Counter Pulsation (ECP) Therapy by Renew Singapore, is a non-invasive therapy, which enhances blood flow to the heart and the body and feels just like a lower body massage. It is popularly known as Natural Bypass. It brings about a host of health benefits while being safe and surgery free. ECP therapy is a globally well-established non-invasive alternative to heart-care procedures like bypass surgery, angioplasty (stenting); and various lifestyle related ailments.

Dr. Morepen is setting up a first of its kind chain of healthcare centres in India by the name of Dr. Morepen NOW to offer ECP Therapy to target consumers in India, which is increasingly been referred to as diabetic capital of the world. The move is part of the company Nation on Wellness (NOW) drive, which envisions providing non-invasive means to treat cardiovascular diseases and diseases associated with cardio-metabolic issues gripping the country today.The first Dr. Morepen NOW clinic has come up in Hauz Khas, New Delhi.

Mr. Varun Suri, CEO, Dr. Morepen Ltd.

Speaking on the development, Mr. Varun Suri, CEO, Dr. Morepen Ltd., said, Dr. Morepens NOW wellness clinicis the beginning of a revolution in the management of heart and other lifestyle related diseases. NOW will redefine the meaning of Wellness in India. It is a serious platform with the latest and state of the art technology. Techniques and therapy to be used at all centers would be very easy to use and consumer friendly. Most of them won;t even require a prick on your skin. A NOW wellness centre would eventually be a one stop shop in preventive cardiology and all lifestyle related issue with a 360 degree approach.

ECP therapy has been used by doctors in Hospitals for long on no option or high risk patients and Dr. Morepen is the first player in the organized healthcare sector to offer this therapy in a non-hospital environment. The efficacy of an ECP device is demonstrated in more than 300 published studies and there are numerous ongoing clinical trials. So why go for surgery and stenting when a patient can in a non-hospital environment get treated and get holistic health advice which stays with him forever, Mr. Suri added.

Mr. Suri further pointed out that Dr. Morepen has joined hands with the US dollar four billion Renew Group of Singapore to set up these specialized medically controlled and supervised Wellness Centres in India. To start-with, it a distribution tie-up with the Renew Group, the scope of which will get expanded in later years, he said.

Dr. Morepen NOWswellness program involving ECP therapy is an ideal health program for men and women in the age group of 30-50 years. For 50 plus men and women, the wellness or cardiac program would be need based specific to individual requirements. NOW programs are focused on providing customized solutions as per a person condition and lifestyle. Since Heart disease is the number one killer in the world, the mantra at NOW is Be Heart Strong and Live Long meaning that a healthy heart leads to the wellness of the whole body and thus one can live long and strong till the 90. So it doesn;t matter if a person is young or old, a gym freak or a couch potato, NOW motivates and inspires all to get fitness of heart for their present and future life.

The philosophy of the NOW wellness centre revolves around four key pillars: Scan now, Boost now, Transform Now and Live now. In the first stage, a person is screened through various parameters and completely non-invasive tests. Then, the patient is given consultations by a registered cardiologist. Next, a customized nutrition regime is devised to bring about important changes in one life and for the patient wellness. Finally, the Live Now program, including physiotherapy as well as yoga and meditation is fitted out.

In the first phase of its expansion, Dr. Morepen plans to open around 100 NOW wellness centres in 25 top cities of India over the next three years. These centers would be a mix of company-owned centers and franchised operations.Each centre will have 1-3 ECP devices (to be sourced from Renew Group) under its Augment NOW program, basic pathology services, basic devices for physiotherapy and some diagnostic tests for heart health which are a easy and yet effective way to find about heart health of people who have a busy lifestyle. Just 15 minutes are required for the tests before the journey to improvement starts.

NOW Team

A cardiologist, a nutritionist, trained ECP operators, a pathologist, a physiotherapist, a yoga/stress management expert form part of the technical team in every NOW center.All team members share the same conviction that tiny steps can make a big difference in heart health and avoid big emergencies later on. Now team is well guided by its Chief Mentor Dr. Pratiksha G. Gandhi (M.B.B.S., M.D.) who has successfully, over a period of 15 years and with the support of her team, treated over 30,000 cardiac cases by avoiding bypass surgery and angioplasty. She is recognized as India first woman in preventive cardiology and is a trained expert in ECP therapy and Yoga.

Dr. Morepen priority would be to set up NOW wellness clinics in all metros and other major cities like Mumbai, Pune, Aurangabad, Bangalore,Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, Surat, Baroda, Amravati (the new state capital of Andhra Pradesh), Trivandrum, Chandigarh, Lucknow, Kanpur, Jaipur, Jammu, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Bhopal, Indore, Raipur, Bhubaneshwar, Patna, Guwhati, Dehradun, Ranchi and many other cities in a staged manner.

Some Facts about The Heart Disease In India

1. India accounts for approx. 60% of the world heart disease burden.

2. Heart Diseases strike Indians at an earlier age (almost 33 per cent earlier) than other demographics, and often without prior warning.

3. 50% of all heart attacks in Indian men occur under 50 years of age and 25% under 40 years.

4. Indians have been affected by major risk factors for cardiac diseases like high rates of hypertension, smoking, metabolic syndrome and diabetes.

5. Heart disease rate among Indians is double than that of the western world, attributed to an underlying genetic risk and a recent shift towards increasing consumption of saturated fats, junk foods, sedentary lifestyle and higher stress among other factors.

6. 77 % of patients with coronary heart disease have normal cholesterol and most heart attack victims don;t have high level of cholesterol and blood pressure but plaque in their arteries.

7. One-third of first heart attacks are fatal and another one-third results in permanent heart damage.

About ECP Therapy

Renew ECP is a medical device used in the ECP Therapy given at Dr. Morepen NOW clinic. During this therapy, the device enhances the blood flow to the heart muscles through External Counter Pulsation (ECP), thereby reducing angina-related symptoms. Also, it the only device approved in the world for Wellness.

ECP is a non-invasive, non-surgical therapy process cleared by the FDA for treatment of chronic stable angina. It allows oxygenated blood to flow freely between the heart and the rest of the body. More than 300 studies on its benefits have been published.

Individuals can benefit from ECP Therapy while lying comfortably watching TV or listening to music at Dr. Morepen NOW centres.

Renew ECP opens collaterals, which are like multiple natural bypasses in the heart. These alternate pathways get developed through over 35 one-hour ECP sessions. The whole treatment is pain free, safe and non-surgical.

How Does ECP work?

Step 1: There are three sets of cuffs secured on the lower body- one set on the calves, one set on thighs and one single cuff around the hips. When the heart is at rest (diastole), air is pumped into the cuffs in sequential manner from the calves to the hips.

Step 2: The inflation of the cuffs compresses the blood vessels. This helps to enhance the circulation of blood flow back to the heart. It also increases the blood flow to the coronary arteries, thus providing oxygen to the heart muscles.

Step 3. Prior to the next heartbeat, all three cuffs are deflated simultaneously.

Step 4.: The rapid deflation of the cuffs significantly reduces the amount of work required of the heart to pump oxygenated blood to the rest of the body

About Dr. Morepen Ltd.

Dr. Morepen Ltd., the energy behind NOW, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Morepen Laboratories Ltd. The company mainly operates in the fast moving healthcare goods (FMHG) segment and sells over 350 products in the Home-Diagnostics and OTC categories. In the Home-Diagnostics category, Dr. Morepen has a formidable presence in Blood Glucose Monitors (Brand name: Gluco One) and Blood Pressure Monitors (Brand Name: BP One), which are imported by the company for sale in the domestic market. The company brands Gluco One and BP One are amongst the top three brands of the country in their respective categories. The company has high hopes from these business segments in the coming years, given the fact that India is increasingly being considered as the diabetic and cardiac capital of the world. Amongst other famous diagnostic products include Quick Check pregnancy card. Dr. Morepen famous OTC product line, including Burnol, Lemolate, Sat-Isabgol, FeverX, Pain X, Nebulizers, Thermometers, Weighing Scales, Grooming Range and OTC Generics amongst others, also has a significant presence in the domestic market.

The 30-year old parent pharmaceutical company - Morepen Laboratories Ltd. is approx.2000 people strong, has USFDA approved manufacturing, world class RD and a simple belief of The Joy of Growing Together.