NEW DELHI: A new research done by a hospital has questioned the general perception about the Indians prone to Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) because of smaller diameter of their arteries. The study suggested that the reason behind increased risk of CAD among Indians is not small diameter of arteries Indian, but because of their smaller body surface area.
The research was conducted by doctors from the departments of cardiology and radiology at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital on 250 patients and published in Journal of Indian College of Cardiology on September 14.
The results are contrary to the general public perception that Indians are at a higher risk of suffering CAD due to smaller diameter of arteries, a statement from the hospital said.
According to Dr JPS Sawhney, author and chairman at the department of cardiology, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, among the 250 study subjects, 51 per cent were hypertensive, 18 per cent were diabetic, 4 per cent were smoker, 28 per cent were dyslipidemic, and 26 per cent had a family history of heart disease.” Dr Ashwani Mehta, author and senior consultant at the hospital’s department of cardiology, said there had been an assumption that Asians, particularly Indians, had increased risk for atherosclerosis (fatty deposit in arteries) because of smaller artery diameters.
“There had been assumption that Asians and particularly Indians have increased risk for atherosclerosis because of their small coronary artery diameters. However, from our observational study, it is proved that the coronary artery dimensions in Indian population are not small, but it is due to their small body surface area. Thus, the rationale for small dimensions of arteries being a risk factor for CAD is not valid in Indian population,” he said.
CAD is caused by plaque buildup in the walls of the arteries that supply blood to the coronary arteries and other parts of the body. Plaque is made up of deposits of cholesterol and other substances in the artery.
Plaque buildup causes the inside of the arteries to narrow over time.
Research questions general perception
The results of the research done by Sir Ganga Ram Hospital has questioned the general perception about the Indians prone to Coronary Artery Disease. Contrary to general perception that Indians are at a higher risk of suffering CAD due to smaller diameter of arteries, but because of their smaller body surface area, a statement from the hospital said
CAD is caused by plaque buildup in the walls of the arteries that supply blood to the coronary arteries and other parts of the human body
Plaque is made up of deposits of cholesterol and other substances in the artery. Plaque buildup causes the inside of the arteries to narrow over time