Air pollution is virtually universally acknowledged as a public health emergency in India, with swathes of the country choking beneath blankets of toxic air. However, a Government minister has informed lawmakers that there is a dearth of evidence to prove a link between pollution, disease, and deaths. “There is no conclusive data available in the […]
heart disease
Preeclampsia: A heart disease risk
Preeclampsia – a disease that can occur during pregnancy – can lead to an elevated risk of cardiac disease in later life, according to new research. The condition refers to gestational hypertension, wherein the mother’s blood pressure is elevated (onset being after the twentieth week of pregnancy) posing a risk both to her and her […]
World Diabetes Day: India’s growing crisis
Some regard India to be the diabetes capital of the world, its diabetic population outweighing the entire population of some nations. With November 14th marking World Diabetes Day, it provides an opportunity for India to appraise its diabetes crisis. According to the International Diabetes Federation, diabetes affects 8.8 percent of India’s adult population with 72,946,400 […]
Open-heart surgery boon in Delhi hospital
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has inaugurated a facility at the Rajiv Gandhi Super-Specialty Hospital for open-heart surgery, responding to a condition which affects a number of Indians. Heart disease was the leading cause of death in India in 2016, accounting for 28.1 percent of all deaths. 1.7 million Indians lose their lives to heart […]
India’s growing crisis of obesity
India is battling a full-blown crisis of obesity, one which is anticipated only to worsen in the years to come. More than 135 million Indians are affected by obesity, according to a study published earlier this year. Meanwhile, research indicates that the condition no longer strictly discriminates along class lines. “We found evidence suggesting it […]
A trans fats-free India by 2022?
The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) intends for India to be a trans fats-free nation by 2022 with efforts underway to phase them out from food in the next coming years. “Momentum is growing for the global elimination of industrially-produced trans [fats], with nearly one third of the world’s population in 28 […]
How mental health affects heart health
On the face of it, mental health issues and heart health may not seem to have an obvious connection. Yet researchers have identified a link between the two, drawing a connection between mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression and coronary artery disease (CAD). “A personality with anger, aggression, hostility and a feeling of […]
A fifty percent rise in heart disease
Over the last 25 years, India has seen a fifty percent rise in heart disease cases according to doctors at the Meenakshi Mission Hospital and Research Centre. Heart disease accounted for 28.1 percent of all deaths in India in 2016, making this statement far from implausible. The condition is India’s most prominent cause of death […]
Early diagnosis of heart disease is vital
Heart disease is India’s leading cause of death. However, a diagnosis does not necessarily entail a death sentence. An article entitled “Why heart failure is not the end of the world” was recently published in the Times of India, highlighting the need for early diagnosis. They note that, in India, it is typical for an […]
Turn away from trans fats, but don’t look to palm oil
The steps taken by the World Health Organization (Who) to eliminate trans fats from our global food supply are important. However, a key piece of the conversation is missing. What are the alternatives? Trans fats are bad for our health: the WHO reminded us this week that five billion people worldwide are exposed to the […]