50% Indians prone to heart disease

It’s Not Fifties Any Longer, Study Finds The Disease Now Strikes People In Their Thirties With Men At Greater Risk

Malathy Iyer | TNN

    When it comes to heart diseases, the thirties, it seems, are the new fifties. If the typical heart patient until five years back was in his mid-fifties, doctors say this no longer holds true. Now, the man with blockages in his heart is most probably in the 30-39 age group and with another health complication such as diabetes or hypertension.
    The Saffolalife Study 2009, covering 8,469 people, found that 49.1% Indians were at high risk for developing heart diseases. On the eve of World Heart Day, the multi-city survey found that this bunch’s vital heart statistic — the ratio of total cholesterol and good cholesterol (called HDL) — is too high at 4.5 to be termed healthy. The American Heart Association holds the ideal ratio between total cholesterol and HDL is 3.3. The survey also found most men in the 30-39 age group fell in the high risk category.
    Men from Mumbai and Chennai were worst off (with a high risk ratio of 49.6% and 53.8% respectively) as compared to men in Kolkata and Delhi (32% and 29.7% respectively). The survey attributed the difference in the risk rates for Mumbai’s men to longer commuting time, long working hours, unhealthy eating habits, lack of physical activity and erratic eating schedules. Others had better lifestyle habits.
    According to Dr Shashank Joshi, endocrinologist with Lilavati Hospital in Bandra, who was associated with the survey, “The survey only underlines what we are seeing now — abnormal cholesteral and trigylcerides in the younger age group. In fact, the 20-40 age group is the new vulnerable group as far as heart disease goes.’’ He blames the high levels of stress and disrupted sleep patterns for the development.
    Dr N O Bansal, who heads the cardiology department of J J Hospital in Byculla, says, “There is no more denying the fact that as compared to a Caucasian youngster, the Indian youngster is more prone to heart diseases.’’ It is a combination of genetic and lifestyle factors, he says. Stating that the “younger phase’’ of heart diseases was apparent about five years back, he says his department — a referral centre for the entire state — gets men under 30 as well.
    Cardiologist Dr Manjeet Juneja, who consults at Wockhardt Hospital, Mulund, says heart diseases are happening 15 years too early for most people because of “preventable causes’’. He recalls a 23-year-old brought to the hospital from Nashik. “The boy was tense about admission to an MBA course and smoked a cigarette 30 minutes before collapsing,’’ says Dr Juneja. He was managed with medicines alone.

Silent killer takes a heavy toll at work

TIMES NEWS NETWORK
Mumbai: The World Heart Federation has found that over 17.2 million people die each year from cardiovascular diseases, making it the leading cause of death worldwide. Almost half of those who die are in their productive years and hence economic consequences are dramatic.
    In 2003, a comprehensive study focusing on the economic returns of workplace health promotion concluded that such programmes can achieve a 25-30% reduction in medical and absenteeism costs in an average period of about 3.6 years.
    “Most of us spend 50% of our time at the workplace. We are so engrossed in doing our job well, we often forget that in order to be healthy it is essential that we should stay fit. The most common excuse I hear from patients is ‘I am so busy that there is no time for fitness’. The point to note is that even while working, we can get this opportunity,’’ points out Dr Sudhir Vaishnav, cardiologist with Asian Heart Hospital, Bandra Kurla Complex.
    Vaishnav has some simple tips on how to stay fit even when one has little time for exercise.
WALK THE TALK
    While travelling to work, walk to the station or bus stop. If you travel in a chauffer-driven car, get down from the car at least a couple of kms away from the office\home and walk. Even 30 minutes of walking every day goes a long way in significantly reducing the incidence of heart disease.
STAIRS FIRST
    It is advisable to use the stairs than the lift. At least climb three floors. Do the same on your way downstairs.
STRETCH IT
    While seated for long hours at the desk hunched on your computers, do some neck, shoulder and leg stretches every few hours. Take a few deep breaths.
SMOKED OUT
    Keep your work environment smoke-free. Passive smoking is as harmful as active smoking.
SOUP IT
    At the office cafeteria, take generous helpings of soup, salad and fruits Avoid eating processed food as they have a high salt content.
TAKE THE TREADMILL
    Visit the gym in the office regularly.
HEALTH CHECK-UP
    Last but not the least, go for a health check-up once a year. This is important for people in their forties and fifties. It helps in detecting silent diseases like BP, high sugar and high cholesterol.