‘High lipids biggest risk for heart diseases’

A recent study revealed that high lipid levels, hypertension and smoking continue to be top risk factors for heart disease. Study conducted by Fortis Healthcare between 2011-2015 involving more than 12,000 patients from North India revealed that dyslipidaemia or high lipid levels (58.1%), hypertension (53.2%) and smoking (45%), emerged as the top three risk factors. There is no special tendency of younger populations to be affected with Acute Coronary Syndrome.

The study was conducted to find out the changing trends in the disease burden or risk factors of cardio-vascular disease. The study found that the risk factor profile for ACS is similar to studies from the west. For this study conducted between January 2011 and December 2015, a total of 12,152 patients, including 5,850 patients with heart attacks (STEMI) and 6,320 patients with heart muscle or related ailments (NSTEMI).

The top risk factors after high cholesterol, hypertension and current smoking are diabetes mellitus (36.9%) and obesity (33.6%) respectively. The study also claimed that males are more susceptible to heart disease.

As per the study, the number of patients below the age of 30 years was only 33 (0.3%), between 30 and 40 years, 304 (2.8%), between 40 and 50 years, 1,298 (10.7%), between 50 and 60 years, 3,445 (28.3%) and more than 60 years of age, 7,075 (58.2%). This shows that heart disease does not show any special preference for younger age groups and continues to affect older populations.

“It is generally believed that Indian patients presented with acute coronary syndromeare younger than their counterparts from the western population. This is a myth as proved by this study,” said executive director, cardiology, Fortis Flt. Lt. Rajan Dhall Hospital, Dr Upendra Kaul, who guided the study.