Indians At A Higher Risk Of Heart Diseases? Here’s What Experts Have To Say

Changing lifestyles, poor dietary habits, physical inactivity, urbanisation, smoking, and rising incidents of risk factors like hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and heart disease have become the leading causes of death worldwide. Limited access to healthcare and low awareness about heart disease exacerbate the issue, leading to delayed diagnosis and treatment, especially in rural areas. Experts suggest that these factors collectively increase the risk of Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) among Indians a decade earlier than those in western countries. They suggest addressing the early age of onset and rapid disease progression in a timely manner.

As India records the highest rate of coronary artery disease globally, Association of Physicians of India (API) president Dr Milind Y Nadkar said in a press conference, “There is a need to create more awareness about angina-like symptoms.”

He further said that women are at a higher risk of developing heart diseases because identifying cardiovascular signs in women is difficult due to their differences in symptoms from the classic ones seen in men. “Women are more likely than men to display uncommon symptoms like jaw or neck pain, exhaustion, and non-chest discomfort, which can pose a challenge in diagnosis,” added Dr Nadkar.

Elaborating further, Dr Nadkar said that women may experience subtler signs like fatigue, nausea, shortness of breath, and back or jaw pain rather than the typical chest pain. The API president explained that hormonal fluctuations can mask or alter symptoms, particularly during menopause. This may result in doctors providing symptomatic relief solutions without addressing underlying angina causes. This is further heightened when women themselves underestimate the existence of their symptoms.

Indians have a 20–50 percent higher coronary artery disease (CAD) mortality rate compared to other populations due to a combination of lifestyle factors, genetic predispositions, and socio-economic conditions. The high prevalence of risk factors like hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol, along with a sedentary lifestyle, unhealthy dietary habits, and smoking, contribute significantly. Genetic factors such as higher lipoprotein (a) levels also play a role in cardiovascular disease.