Heart disease is often perceived as a health concern associated with advancing age. Yet, a growing body of evidence suggests that cardiovascular conditions are increasingly affecting younger Indians, with heart attacks, hypertension, and other cardiac disorders being diagnosed in people in their 30s and 40s. This shift underscores the need to rethink how we approach cardiovascular health and prevention.
Today’s fast-paced lifestyles, marked by long working hours, stress, poor sleep, and reduced physical activity, are reshaping cardiovascular risk profiles. The troubling part? Most people don’t realise they are at risk until something goes seriously wrong. The silver lining is that early awareness, regular monitoring, and informed lifestyle choices are empowering more people to take control of their heart health before problems arise.
Take the case of Rohan, a 35-year-old corporate professional who considered himself reasonably healthy because he was always “on the move.” He wasn’t sedentary, at least not in his own mind. His exercise routine consisted of rushing between meetings and climbing stairs only when the elevator wasn’t working. However, a routine preventive health check revealed elevated cholesterol levels and high blood pressure, conditions he had no reason to suspect.
Like many young professionals, Rohan was surprised. Feeling healthy had led him to believe that his cardiovascular health was in good shape. Yet his experience highlights a common reality: heart disease risk factors often develop silently, with few or no warning signs until they are detected through screening or result in more serious health events.
One of the greatest challenges in addressing heart disease is that it often progresses silently. Conditions such as high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, diabetes, and early vascular damage may not produce noticeable symptoms for years. During this period, however, they can gradually affect the heart and blood vessels, increasing the risk of serious cardiovascular events later in life.
Many of us remember our Wi-Fi password, streaming subscriptions, and reward points balances. Ask us about our cholesterol levels or blood pressure, however, and the conversation suddenly goes quiet. We regularly service our cars and upgrade our phones, yet often neglect the one organ that works tirelessly every second of our lives.
This is where preventive cardiac screening plays a critical role. Early assessment helps identify risk factors before they lead to significant complications, enabling timely medical guidance and lifestyle modifications.
Key evaluations may include:
- Blood pressure monitoring
- Complete lipid profile
- Blood sugar assessment (HbA1c/fasting glucose)
- High-sensitivity C-Reactive Protein (hs-CRP)
- ECG and cardiac evaluation (as advised)
- Kidney and liver function tests
- Lifestyle and risk assessment
Most importantly, screening is not only for those experiencing symptoms. It is equally relevant for apparently healthy individuals, particularly those with risk factors such as a family history of heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, obesity, smoking, or high levels of stress.
The value of these assessments lies not just in detecting disease, but also in identifying risk early enough to prevent it. Timely diagnosis often enables individuals to take corrective action through healthier nutrition, regular physical activity, better sleep hygiene, stress management, smoking cessation, and, where necessary, appropriate medical treatment.
Fortunately, many cardiovascular risks are preventable. Regular exercise, a balanced diet, quality sleep, stress management, and routine health checkups can significantly reduce the likelihood of future heart problems.
As health care increasingly shifts toward preventive care, early cardiac screening should become an integral part of routine health management rather than an occasional consideration. Knowing one’s blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels is as important as monitoring any other aspect of overall well-being.
Heart disease is often silent, but the opportunity to prevent it does not have to be. By embracing routine screening and preventive care, individuals can move from reacting to health challenges to staying ahead of them. The sooner we understand our risks, the better our chances of protecting what matters most: a healthy heart.
Most of us spend years planning our education, careers, finances, and family goals. Yet we rarely invest the same attention in understanding our health. Taking the time for a routine cardiac assessment is a small step, but one that can have a lasting impact. After all, the healthiest future is the one we prepare for today.
(The views expressed are personal)
This article is authored by Monika Shashank, head of operations, Lupin Diagnostics Limited and Dr Md Ehtesham, zonal technical head, North and East, Lab Head, RRL Kolkata.
