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Silent Epidemic in India

The whole world endured the pandemic caused by COVID-19 over two years. This pandemic compelled people around the world to revamp their entire lifestyles to avoid getting affected by it. While this pandemic was acknowledged by the entire world, there is another silent epidemic that hardly gets the attention of people. This epidemic has been prevalent in South Asia, especially India, for quite a while now. However, little to no efforts have been made by people to save themselves from it.

We are speaking about the Coronary Artery Disease Epidemic in South Asian countries. The staggering number of heart diseases among South Asians is enough to send a chill down anyone’s spine. This newsletter is a wake-up call for everyone living a blissful life in South Asian countries, unaware of the threat they are under. It is high time to acknowledge this epidemic and take the necessary measures to prevent it.

Declining Heart Health in South Asians

In the past year, heart health in South Asians has been on an exponential decline. The number of South Asians who get impacted by heart disease is 2 times that of the national average in the Western world. Indians especially bear 60% of the world’s heart disease burden according to a report by the Indian Heart Association. This is a startling number because the population of India is not even 20% of the world.

This elaborate report by the Indian Heart Association also suggests that 50% of heart attacks in India occur in men under 50, and 25% occur in men under 40. These haunting numbers are continuously increasing, and without prompt intervention, they will continue to rise.

Why do Heart Problems Affect Indians?

With such baffling numbers about increasing heart diseases in South Indians, one must wonder why Indians are affected by heart problems so much. There are many factors that contribute to the poor heart health of Indians. The following is the list of those factors:
Genetic Issues
Various studies have proven that genetic factors highly influence the heart health of Indians. Due to this, their cholesterol metabolism, blood pressure regulation, and other critical cardiovascular parameters are highly affected. Consequently, they grapple with heart problems.
Diabetes and Insulin Resistance
Type 2 diabetes and insulin resistance highly affect Indians, through which cardiovascular diseases stem. You can gauge the state of diabetes in India by the fact that Hyderabad is presently the diabetic capital of the world.
Poor Diet and Lifestyle
Most Indians consume an unhealthy diet rich in saturated fats and refined carbohydrates. On top of this, there is little to no physical activity in their daily lives due to their sedentary lifestyle. This leads to a significant increase in their cholesterol levels and hypertension, which ruins their cardiovascular health.
Abdominal Obesity
The presence of abdominal fat also substantially worsens the cardiovascular health of Indians.
Smoking and Tobacco Use
Compulsive smoking and tobacco use in Indians are proportional to the ruined state of their cardiovascular health.
Stress and Anxiety
Stress and anxiety in students and adults also lead to a variety of heart diseases in Indians.

Role of COVID-19 in Increasing Heart Problems in India

After the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been found that the heart health of people has also worsened. According to a study conducted by the Indian Council of Medical Research, people who were affected by COVID-19 are likely to face more heart problems. This is because the virus causes the weakening of the heart muscles and increases the risk of arrhythmia (irregular heartbeats). The council has recommended that COVID-19-infected people not engage in any kind of excessive physical exertion to save themselves from myocardial infarction (heart attacks) and cardiac arrests.

Measures to Prevent the Nightmare of Heart Problems

People in South Asian countries can take the following measures to refrain from the risk of heart problems:

Revamp your lifestyle by including a heart-healthy diet and physical activity (as much as your body allows).
Avoid the consumption of tobacco and quit smoking to ensure your ideal cardiovascular health.
Get medical tests, such as ECG, stress tests, blood tests, etc., done if you face any issues.
If you are suffering from diseases like diabetes, take your medicines regularly and avoid all kinds of unhealthy food.
If you were ever infected with COVID-19, take extra care of your heart health and spread awareness among others too.

Take Necessary Action Today

Getting rid of this silent epidemic plaguing South Asian countries might be difficult, but if we take the necessary action today, we might be able to eliminate it entirely someday. We just need to work on how we approach this big threat and make others aware of the importance of maintaining cardiovascular health. Let us all work together to give our future generations the gift of a world that is heart-healthy and free from any kind of cardiovascular disease.

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