Four Indians die of a heart ailment every minute. Cardiologists predict that India will soon be the heart attack capital of the world.
Four Indians die of a heart ailment every minute. Cardiologists predict that India will soon be the heart attack capital of the world. A special report by Sumitra Deb Roy & Deepa Suryanarayan on the eve of World Heart Day
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), around two million people in India die of cardiovascular diseases annually, 32 per cent of these deaths are in the age group of 35-44 years.
On the even of World Health Day on Sunday, medical experts across the country are alarmed at the younger generation falling prey to heart ailments.
However, there seems to be a consensus that early detection and preventive diagnosis can bring down the number of people suffering from heart ailments considerably.
Besides, early diagnosis can also save India from incurring economic losses due to loss of crucial man hours. India lost a whooping $9 billion in 2005 due to cardiac disease, cancer and diabetes.
The WHO estimates that the figure will further rise to $237 billion by 2015. Figures also suggest that every Indian household spends about Rs11,000 in at least one episode of heart disease per year.
Also, a recent study presented by the Indian Council for Research on International Economic Relations (ICRIER) has pointed out that 74 per cent of overall health expenditure by a family is on curative care.
“Even if we can shift 10 per cent of that expenditure to preventive care it will help the economy immensely,” said Ali Mehdi, one of the researchers from ICRIER.
The study also said that two-third of India’s population is between the age group of 15-59 years. Given that our government spends only 1 per cent of its GDP on health care, it is more logical for people to go for preventive rather than curative care, added Mehdi.
Currently, an average Indian household spends about 80 per cent of their income on curative care and the figure is as high as 29 per cent at the union level.
Talking about newer techniques, Prof Roxy Senior, research cardiologist at the Birmingham University suggested that ‘carotid ultrasound’ will soon be the need of the hour.
It is a non-invasive procedure wherein a diagnosis of the carotid artery (supplies oxygenated blood to neck and head) can indicate whether there is a thickening of the coronary artery. Senior also warned that India is vulnerable to a major heart endemic given that an estimated 60 million people are undiagnosed heart patients.
“Using ultrasound imaging of the carotid artery in the neck helps to predict heart attack and other coronary events,” said Senior.
Carotid ultrasound is a painless and non-invasive test that uses high-frequency sound waves to create images of the two arteries in the neck.
“But the most important part is that immediate treatment following the carotid ultrasound might save many lives of sudden death or developing future heart ailments”.
Doctors blame it on sedentary lifestyle, lack of physical activities and smoking for the swelling number of heart patients.
“This can be overpowered by physical activities and balanced diet,” said cardiologist Dr K Kasliwal of Apollo hospitals, Delhi.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}