Securing Heart Health Across the Lifespan: Preventing Cardiac Arrest in Your 30s, 40s, and 50s

Cardiac arrest remains a significant global health concern, with a pronounced impact in India. The World Heart Federation’s latest World Heart Report 2023 underscores that cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), encompassing cardiac arrests, stand as the primary cause of mortality and a notable contributor to disability worldwide.

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Cardiac Arrest

The data reveals a stark escalation in CVD-related deaths from approximately 12.1 million in 1990 to 18.6 million in 2019, marking a substantial 53% surge. This surge is evenly distributed between genders, with over 80% of these fatalities concentrated in low- and middle-income countries like India.

India faces a particularly alarming scenario, with an estimated 5-6 lakh individuals succumbing to sudden cardiac death (SCD) annually, a considerable portion of them under the age of 50. Recent revelations from the Global Burden of Diseases Collaboration, featured in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, report an escalating trend in age-standardized mortality rates from cardiovascular diseases in South Asia, including India.

These rates range from 225.4 to 326.5 per 100,000 persons in 2022. Notably, 2023 has witnessed a surge in cardiac arrests among young adults, accentuating the imperative for awareness and preventive measures across all age demographics, not solely confined to older adults.

Understanding heart health necessitates a dynamic, lifelong approach, acknowledging that cardiac arrest, an abrupt and often fatal event, can manifest at any age. The strategies to mitigate these risks must adapt as individuals traverse the distinct stages of life, emphasizing the importance of a comprehensive and age-tailored approach to cardiovascular health