While people across all countries are susceptible to cardiovascular diseases (CVD), those of Indian origin need to be a little more worried. The simple reason is that their genetic makeup makes them more vulnerable to CVD.
A 2019 report published by the American Heart Association placed India’s burden of heart disorders at a worrisome 54.5 million people, with 1 in 4 deaths attributable to CVDs such as Ischemic Heart Disorder or Stroke. The recent uptick in heart diseases, especially in metros like Delhi and Mumbai, during the pandemic is double trouble.
“Though Ischemic Heart Disorder has emerged as the biggest cause of death among Indians, the fear of getting infected by Covid-19 is keeping heart patients indoors and disrupting their scheduled check-ups. This may push the mortality rate caused by cardiovascular disease further up,” says Dr (Col) Monik Mehta, Chief of Cardiology, Columbia Asia Hospital, Palam Vihar, Gurugram.
Dr Partap Chauhan of Jiva Ayurveda adds that during complete lockdown, the hospital received 322 cases of CVDs and post-lockdown, they have done consultation of 776 cases through their telemedicine centre and clinics. “The cases came from Maharashtra region (150+), Delhi (200+), Uttar Pradesh (300+) and Haryana (110+) of which a majority were males,” says Dr Chauhan.
Elaborating on the reasons behind it, he says, “While initially people were relieved of the mundane burdens of daily commutes and work stress, as days progressed, worries of financial burdens, unemployment, uncertainties, boredom, and lack of sleep increased which had an adverse effect on cardiovascular health.”
The risk factors that lead to CVD are many – sedentary lifestyle, unhealthy diet, diabetes or chronic stress. And people in their 20s falling prey to sudden heart attacks debunks the earlier belief that only the aged were susceptible to heart attacks.
Doctors advise regular heart check-ups and various dietary and lifestyle modifications which, they say, can greatly reduce the CVD risk. “The best way to prevent a heart attack is to adopt a healthy lifestyle, including daily aerobic physical activity for 45 minutes, consumption of plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables and avoiding smoking,” says Dr Sanjeev Gupta, Senior Cardiologist, Ujala Cygnus Group of Hospitals.
“Though we have seen a rise in the complication of heart ailments in the pandemic, that, I feel, is because many patients didn’t take their prescribed medicines on time. Anxiety and depression cannot cause a heart attack, but they certainly contribute towards it,” he adds.
Agrees Dr G Prakash, Deputy Chief Medical Officer, Jindal Naturecure Institute. “A lot is in your hands. Exercise and yoga are crucial as their regular practice can help lower blood pressure, improve lung capacity and heart rate, lower blood cholesterol levels, and improve circulation,” he says.
“Now that the Unlock process has begun, it is important that people become active for at least 30 minutes a day, and if outdoors with mandatory COVID safety measures like wearing masks, and when jogging, double the social distance to 12 feet. Also regulate binge eating that comprises packaged snacks high on salt, sugar and trans-fat to reduce the risk of developing a heart disease,” says Dr (Col) Monik Mehta.
Go natural & snack healthy
Dr Chauhan advises consuming concoctions made from Ayurvedic herbs like Arjun Ki Chhaal, garlic, cinnamon and honey. “Adding up a herbal supplement to our day will also help prevent us getting heart diseases. Curcumin, the active compound in turmeric, is very good for the heart. But the turmeric found in our kitchens has only 3-5 per cent curcumin, and would need to be taken in large quantities to derive its benefits,” says Dr Saurabh Arora, MD, ARBRO Pharmaceuticals, who has invented a curcumin rich product, Snec30.
“Even a gentle head massage or a full body massage with oil relieves tension and reduces the load on your heart,” says Dr Chauhan, categorically stating to switch off highly charged TV broadcasts if these cause stress, and spend time in doing things that make you happy.
Nutritionists advocate regular intake of almonds. “A 2015 study shows that snacking on 42 grams of almonds daily reduces potential risk factors like belly fat and waist circumference. It also says that regular snacking on almonds helps lower LDL cholesterol which aids good heart health,” says Sheela Krishnaswamy, Nutrition and Wellness consultant.