'Indian Hearts Age Faster, Prone to Early Disorders'
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19 June 2010
In India, the figurative term ‘young at heart’ could be just that – figurative. An Indian’s heart ages much faster than a Westerner’s, a study by Apollo Hospitals has found.
The results – compiled from cases the hospital group has been treating across the country – would be used as the baseline for a larger study the group is planning to undertake in association with the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), group chairman Dr Prathap C Reddy said.
“We have found that some heart disorders including blood vessel blocks found in a 35-year-old Indian are similar to those found in an average 60–year–old in the US. Indians are not only predisposed to heart diseases, but the progression of the disease is also faster in Indians. Considering that the incidence of heart disease in Indians is itself four times more than their Caucasian counterparts, this is disturbing,” Dr Reddy said.
Moreover, diagnosis of heart diseases happens late in India. Analysing data from more than 10,000 people who underwent CT scans at the group’s hospitals across the country, he said that many Indians in the age group of 35–60 years, who assume themselves to be healthy, may have cardiac problems. “Today, we know that nearly 10% of Indians develop heart diseases without having any risk factors like high blood pressure or diabetes. Scans have revealed a heart disease acting as precursor to diabetes and hypertension in these people. Since most heart diseases show no symptoms, young patients come to us only after the damage is done,” he said.
Senior cardiologists say the incidence of heart diseases is not confined to cities. “We are increasingly seeing rural people with heart diseases because their diabetes remains undiagnosed for a long time,“ says Dr S Thanikachalam, head of cardiology, Sri Ramachandra University.
"Hatari ya India ya ""Kuzaliwa kwa Moyo Mpya"" ni ya kwanza katika historia ya India, na inaonyesha kwamba vijana wa India wana umri wa miaka miwili na nusu." Moyo wa Kihindi huzeeka haraka kuliko wa Magharibi, utafiti uliofanywa na Hospitali za Apollo umegundua. Matokeo ya utafiti huo, ambayo yamekusanywa kutoka kwa kesi ambazo kikundi cha hospitali imekuwa ikitibu nchini kote, yatatumiwa kama msingi wa utafiti mkubwa ambao kikundi hicho kinapanga kufanya kwa kushirikiana na Baraza la Utafiti wa Matibabu la India (ICMR), alisema mwenyekiti wa kikundi hicho, Dk Pratap Reddy. "Tumeona kuwa baadhi ya magonjwa ya moyo, ikiwa ni pamoja na kuzuia mishipa ya damu, yaliyopatikana kwa mtu wa India mwenye umri wa miaka 35 ni sawa na yale yaliyopatikana kwa mtu wa wastani wa miaka 60 nchini Marekani. """ Wenyeji wa India wana uwezekano mkubwa wa kupata magonjwa ya moyo, lakini pia ugonjwa huo unaendelea kwa kasi zaidi. Kwa kuzingatia kwamba visa vya magonjwa ya moyo katika Wahindi ni yenyewe mara nne zaidi ya wenzao wa Caucasian, hii ni ya kusumbua, "Dakt. Reddy alisema. Isitoshe, wagonjwa wa moyo hupatikana baadaye nchini India. "Akichunguza takwimu za watu zaidi ya 10,000 waliofanyiwa CT scan katika hospitali za kikundi hicho kote nchini, alisema kwamba Wahindi wengi katika kikundi cha umri wa miaka 35-60 ambao wanajifikiria kuwa na afya nzuri wanaweza kuwa na matatizo ya moyo. """ "Hivi sasa, karibu asilimia 10 ya watu wa India wanaugua magonjwa ya moyo bila kuwa na sababu za hatari kama vile shinikizo la damu au kisukari.""" Uchunguzi umeonyesha kwamba watu hao wana ugonjwa wa moyo unaoongoza kwenye ugonjwa wa kisukari na shinikizo la damu. Kwa kuwa magonjwa mengi ya moyo hayana dalili, wagonjwa wachanga hutujia tu baada ya uharibifu kufanyika, "alisema. Wataalamu wa moyo wanasema kuwa ugonjwa wa moyo haupo tu katika miji. "Tunaona watu wa vijijini wanaugua magonjwa ya moyo kwa sababu ugonjwa wao wa kisukari haujagunduliwa kwa muda mrefu,"" anasema Dk S Thanikachalam, mkuu wa cardiology, Chuo Kikuu cha Sri Ramachandra."