INTRODUCTION TO CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASES IN INDIA

‘Heart of the matter’ a famous idiom stands true when it literally relates to our body. The Heart beats 24/7, beat by beat and never rests! The Heart and its supporting functions are the center of our body; a complex system including the heart, arteries, veins, capillaries etc. so many delicate components that connect the entire body & cells to supply oxygen, food, and other nutrients!

Diseases which are caused by genetic factors, i.e., largely inherited, and worsened by lifestyle issues, do not get transmitted from human to human and are known as NCDs or non- communicable diseases e.g. cardiovascular diseases, most of the respiratory diseases, diabetes, cancer etc. India reported around 6 million total deaths due to non-communicable diseases, of which maximum has been attributed to CVDs¹.

The world’s biggest killer is ‘ischemic heart disease’ which is responsible for 16% of the world’s total deaths².

cardiovascular-stats

Since 2000, the largest increase in deaths due to ischaemic heart disease, rose from 2 million to 8.9 million deaths. Stroke and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are the 2nd and 3rd leading causes of death³

CVDs are divided as - disorders of the Heart (e.g., coronary heart disease, rheumatic heart disease, congenital heart disease, arrhythmias etc.) and disorders of blood vessels (e.g., hypertension, peripheral arterial disease, deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism etc.). Most cardiovascular diseases can be controlled at lesser impact by addressing risk factors such as tobacco use, unhealthy diet, managing stress and obesity, physical inactivity and harmful use of alcohol.

Individuals at risk of CVDs may demonstrate raised blood pressure, glucose, and lipids as well as overweight and obesity. Identifying those at highest risk of CVDs and ensuring they receive appropriate treatment can prevent premature deaths.

Some of the common cardiovascular diseases of India are explained below briefly;

References:

1. Nethan S, Sinha D, Mehrotra R. Non Communicable Disease Risk Factors and their Trends in India. Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2017 Jul 27;18(7):2005-2010. doi: 10.22034/APJCP.2017.18.7.2005. PMID: 28749643; PMCID: PMC5648412.
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2. The Top 10 Causes of Death, WHO, Dec 2020

3. The Top 10 Causes of Death, WHO, Dec 2020

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