Are heart attacks in young Indians really rising? Dr Devi Shetty says awareness is part of the answer

Many people believe heart attacks among young Indians have exploded in recent years. Cardiac surgeon Dr Devi Shetty offers a slightly different perspective. ‘Heart attacks were always happening. Awareness is much better now compared to the past. There is a lot more discussion today, so it feels like the numbers have increased,’ he told ANI.

Dr Shetty’s point is that social media now spreads videos of sudden collapses within minutes, and news travels faster than ever before, meaning every tragic incident becomes part of a national conversation. Greater awareness also means more reporting, more diagnosis and more public discussion, which does not necessarily mean every apparent increase reflects a completely new phenomenon.

At the same time, he noted that India continues to face a heavy burden of cardiovascular disease because major risk factors, including diabetes, obesity, high blood pressure and high cholesterol, remain widespread. He said many heart attacks are not actually sudden but silent: ‘Nearly 50 percent of the patients with blockage in the coronary arteries have no symptoms. Nearly 50 percent develop a heart attack without any previous chest pain, especially diabetics.’

Dr Shetty said many sudden cardiac deaths could potentially be avoided if underlying heart disease were detected before symptoms appeared, recommending a basic evaluation that may include blood tests, an electrocardiogram, an echocardiogram, and a cardiac CT scan when advised by a doctor.

Citing Cardiological Society of India guidance, he said every Indian should know their cholesterol level from the late teenage years, men between 35 and 40 should undergo routine heart evaluation, and anyone with a family history of heart disease should begin screening around age 30. ‘Everyone should know their numbers, blood pressure, cholesterol and heart health,’ he said.