PNP doctors recommend 2D Echo for Senator Enrile

Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile. Photo courtesy of Enrile’s Facebook page.

MANILA — The doctors of the Philippine National Police (PNP) General Hospital on Monday recommended detained senator Juan Ponce Enrile to undergo Two-Dimensional Echocardiogram (2D Echo) with Doppler a medical procedure to check the heart of the lawmaker, a PNP official said.

PNP public information office head Senior Supt. Theodore Reuben Sindac said that Enrile’s latest blood pressure was 140 over 70, pulse rate at 63 and his temperature recorded at 36 degrees Celsius.

Sindac said the PNP cardiologist checked Enrile and recommended 2D Echo with Doppler which will be scheduled 8:30 a.m. on Tuesday at PNP General Hospital.

”Yung latest na BP nya ngayon lang, 140/70, PR 63, temp 36. Sinilip din sya ng PNP cardiologist na nag recommend ng 2D echo with doppler which will be scheduled tomorrow at 8:30 dun naman sa PNP GH gagawin yun,” the PNP official said.

The 2DEcho is a test in which ultrasound is used to picture out the heart. It is capable of displaying a cross sectional “slice” of the beating heart, including the chambers, valves and the major blood vessels that exit from the left and right part of the heart.

“Doppler” is a special part of the ultrasound exam that assesses blood flow (direction and velocity). Doppler exam shows the flow of blood as it makes its way through and out of the heart. One would hear “swishing” or “whooshing” sounds during this part of the procedure.

Sindac also said that they allowed 60 visitors for Senator Enrile with limited visitng hours.

“They have specifically requested na piling pili lang, list of 60 people ang pwede lang dumalaw sa kanya at specific given time kung pwede. Kasi hospital din naman yun, we should understand that the conditions there are different, we always put into consideration ang kanyang health,” he said.

He added they follow the rules on visiting hours of hospital while Enrile is still under custody of the CIDG.

”This is what we keep on clarifying, as of now he is still in custody of the CIDG, technically wala pa sya sa jurisdiction ng Sandiganbayan unless magbago yan any time from now. So now, we have returned the warrant. Ang approving authority dun sa dalawang medical treatments is only up to the director of the CIDG who is in charge of his custody,” Sindac explained.

He added that Enrile will be taken again to the Asian Eye Institute in Makati City to treat his right eye on July 12.

“This was a post operative treatment which is required otherwise he would go blind. It had to be two trips, one eye after the other. I believe there is a second treatment on July 12 starting with the right eye. It is an appointment, if that will be allowed or not, that will depend on the court,” Sindac said.

Enrile was earlier detained at the PNP General Hospital in Camp Crame, Quezon City after the Sandiganbayan issued an arrest for graft and plunder charges last Friday.