The Hemodynamics Service of the Social Security Institute (IPS) is currently operating at only 40% of its productive capacity due to a lack of dedicated rooms for cardiovascular procedures. The limitation was highlighted by the department chief, Elías Rolón, during a session of the entity's Board of Directors.
Although one of the IPS's two angiographs is fully operational in operating room 2, the need to share the space with vascular surgery, neurology, pediatrics, and internal medicine drastically reduces the number of daily procedures. The weekly schedule alternates priority among specialties: when neurology takes over, a single neurological procedure can consume the entire morning, pushing hemodynamics to 4 p.m. and extending the workday until 10 p.m.
The direct consequence is a drop in productivity for a service that treats patients with complex cardiovascular conditions, often on an urgent basis. The lack of an exclusive surgical block forces constant rescheduling based on the availability of other surgical areas, causing delays and limiting the number of interventions.
During the session, IPS President Isaías Fretes questioned how professionals who remain available beyond regular hours are compensated. Rolón explained that the "on-call professional" arrangement is in effect, which pays a fixed remuneration for two extra procedures, although the team ends up performing up to ten more. "And the other eight are for free? That's outrageous," Fretes reacted, surprised by the compensation scheme.
The hemodynamics service recently came under scrutiny following the death of policyholder Braulio Vázquez, a press worker who died while awaiting a catheterization. The bidding process for the purchase of stents and equipment has been unblocked, and according to Rolón, stents are now covered at 100%, with only 13% of supplies remaining that the IPS intends to acquire to end the supply crisis.
To address the shortage of rooms, the institute is preparing a tender for the acquisition of two more angiographs, bringing the number of available devices to three, and for the construction of three rooms with a short-stay Intensive Care Unit, with an estimated investment of G. 30 billion.
As the IPS infrastructure tries to catch up, specialists warn of the worsening cardiovascular epidemiological profile in the country. Graciela González, director of the National Cardiovascular Prevention Program at the Ministry of Public Health, stated that heart attacks and hypertension are occurring at increasingly younger ages.
"Now heart attacks are much more frequent before age 40. We're seeing hypertension before age 30. So the entire process is being pushed forward by 10 years or even more. That's very striking," the physician described. Among factors driving the rise in young people are the indiscriminate use of energy drinks, stimulants, excessive alcohol consumption, and, more recently, vaping devices, especially among adolescents.
The use of anabolic steroids in gyms, often without medical oversight or based on friends' recommendations, is also a concern. These supplements produce effects similar to testosterone, accelerate muscle mass gain, and increase the risk of high blood pressure and arrhythmias, potentially leading to a higher risk of heart attack or sudden death. Excess screen time, which promotes sedentary behavior among children and adolescents, rounds out the picture of emerging risk factors.
Statistical data cited by González show that 7 out of 10 Paraguayans are overweight or obese. In the 60-and-over age group, 70% of elderly individuals suffer from hypertension. In men, acute myocardial infarction is the leading cause of death from age 45 onward; before that age, accidents lead the rankings. In women, heart attack takes the first position only at age 55, but among men it has been appearing with greater frequency before age 40.
In 2023, cardiovascular diseases caused 10,295 deaths in Paraguay, with acute myocardial infarction and stroke occupying the top two positions among causes of death. Hypertension appeared as the leading risk factor, followed by overweight and obesity. The Ministry of Health emphasizes that early detection allows for timely identification and intervention, referring patients to public network services for appropriate treatment.