Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) have become the number one killer claiming approximately 2.4 million deaths every year. According to statistics from the WHO, one in five Indians die because of cardiovascular diseases and by 2020 the figure will jump to 1 in 3.
Health experts say that currently there are about 45 million heart patients in India. However, in reality this figure would be much greater as many in the rural areas do not have the infrastructure to detect heart ailments. This year, the World Heart Day focuses on the adoption of life-course approach towards the prevention and control of cardio-vascular diseases with a special focus on women and children. The prevalence of heart diseases affecting people between the ages 25 and 69 have gone up to 24.8 per cent and there is an alarming 10-15 per cent rise in cardiovascular diseases among young women. Stress, erratic lifestyles, poor eating habits, excessive drinking, smoking and lack of exercise have been few of the contributing factors.
Eminent Interventional Cardiologist Dr RK Singh while talking to media persons here on Saturday said, “Cardio-vascular diseases in India are increasing targeting young adults, women, teens and even children and half of the ailments are due to lifestyle and stress levels in today’s competitive culture. If serious and untimely actions will not be taken, we might have to lose 23 million patients to heart attacks by 2030. Women are the most vulnerable to symptoms of heart diseases as they often relate the symptoms to conditions like acid reflux, the flu or normal aging. Even children are susceptible with one in every 1,000 children suffers from congenital heart disease.” Despite the growing figures, Dr. Singh said that in 90 percent cases prevention is possible if patients get treatment on time and effective curative techniques are adopted to save heart from damage.