LAHORE: The health of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif showed signs of improvement on Saturday with his platelet count rising from 20,000 to 45,000 despite suffering an angina attack. According to doctors, 50,000 platelets and beyond are required for a patient to be declared fit for (air) travel.

“Nawaz Sharif on Friday had an angina attack, but fortunately it did not damage his heart,” Punjab Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid told a presser on Saturday.

She, however, stated that Mr Sharif was facing breathing problems, but overall his condition had improved owing to timely treatment.

Mr Sharif’s platelet count that was fluctuating and had fallen to a critically low level of 2,000 since his admission to the Services Hospital on Monday night improved to 45,000 on Saturday.

“Mian sahib’s platelet count on Saturday increased to 45,000 and it will rise further with time,” the minister said. “Nawaz Sharif has been a heart patient for a long time. Complication occurs if diabetes and blood pressure of a heart patient go out of control.”

Khawaja Asif says party won’t force Nawaz to go abroad for treatment

Dr Saqib Shafiq, a board member treating Mr Sharif, said: “According to his latest ECG, Mr Sharif’s condition is better now. Complication in diseases increases if the heart muscles are affected. The blood pressure of the patient is also normal.”

Mr Sharif’s personal physician Dr Adnan Khan said: “Nawaz Sharif is being managed on the lines of acute ITP (Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura) treatment protocol, on Platelet Transfusions, IV Steroids & IV Immunoglobulins. The definitive diagnosis is yet to be ascertained.”

He also said Mr Sharif has severe atherosclerotic ‘coronary and carotid artery disease’ with co-morbidities (HTN, DM, CKD) and because of subsequent serious effects of treatment developed NSTEMI (Non-ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction); being managed on ACS protocol.

Dr Khan further tweeted: “Critical Thrombocytopenia (low platelets count) & NSTEMI (Non ST Elevation Myocardial Infarction), both of serious nature & consequences, has made the clinical status extremely & critically unstable putting health & life of Mr Sharif at risk.”

After struggling for a few days, a medical board headed by Services Hospital Principal Dr Mahmood Ayaz diagnosed the reason for Mr Sharif’s declining health (ITP), which is a bleeding disorder in which the immune system destroys platelets.

Dr Ayaz said: “Mr Sharif’s platelet count is now rising as he is administered injections of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) regularly. Following the angina attack, Mr Sharif is being given medicines for blood thinning.”

He dismissed reports that Mr Sharif was placed on oxygen or ventilator after the angina attack. To a question, Dr Ayaz said: “No decision has been taken to carry out angiography of Mr Sharif.”

Meanwhile, Mr Sharif’s mother met him at the hospital and stayed with him for some time. His daughter, Maryam Nawaz, was also present. Ms Maryam has been given special permission by the Punjab government to stay with her father to “look after him” on the directions of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

“Maryam told her father about the news of acceptance of his bail in the Al-Azizia Mills reference by the Islamabad High Court and congratulated him,” a source said. There are reports that Ms Maryam has been allowed to stay with her father in order to persuade him to leave for London for better treatment as he is “seriously ill”.

PML-N MNA Khawaja Asif had earlier said that the party had decided not to force Mr Sharif to go abroad for treatment. “Nawaz Sharif’s condition is serious. It will only be his own decision about going abroad (London) for treatment. We will not push him for this,” he added.

Published in Dawn, October 27th, 2019