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South Asians and Heart Disease - An Overview
South Asian immigrants in the United States have premature heart disease at three to four times the rate of other Americans.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), in 1990, 1.2 million Indians died from heart disease.
By 2010, the WHO predicts that 25% of all cardiac patients in the world will be Indian.
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Naveen, a fifty-six year old father living in Georgia woke up in the middle of the night feeling a bit queasy and short of breath. The next morning he went to the doctor and was immediately rushed to the operating room for a triple bypass surgery. Fortunately for Naveen he survived and has since changed his lifestyle to be more heart healthy. How did this lifelong vegetarian have a massive heart attack? Unfortunately, many South Asians, both women and men, vegetarians and non-vegetarians, are at high risk of heart disease. But the good news is that there is a lot you can do right now to keep your heart healthy.
Read the information provided in this section to learn about what you can do for yourself, your clients, and your loved ones.
Heart Disease
Heart disease is a term that includes different diseases affecting the heart, such as coronary artery disease, heart failure, and heart arrhythmias . Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) is the most common type of heart disease.
Risk Factors for Heart Disease
Some risk factors for heart disease include:
Read Real Stories
To read about one’s family story about smoking and heart disease, check out Reshma’s story.
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- Increasing age
- Hereditary
- Smoking
- High cholesterol
- High blood pressure
- Physical inactivity
- Obesity/overweight
- Stress
- Excessive alcohol consumption
Heart Disease in South Asians
There are several reasons why heart disease is different among the South Asian population and why it deserves special consideration.
Research shows:
- Compared to other Americans, South Asians have twice the risk of developing heart disease even when there is a lower or equal occurrence of traditional risk factors such as smoking, hypertension, high cholesterol, and obesity.
- While heart disease is generally thought of as disease affecting older people in the US, South Asians have a high chance of getting heart disease at a younger age.
- Heart disease tends to be more severe among South Asians, because it tends to occur all along an artery instead of just one or two spots in the artery.
- Unlike other groups, rates of heart disease among South Asian women are as high as South Asian men.
- Many South Asian children have shown early risk factors for heart disease. This includes more fat around their abdomen, increased insulin resistance (a risk for diabetes), and less physical activity than their peers.
- A strong link exists between diabetes and heart disease among South Asians. An individual with diabetes is more likely to get heart disease.
- South Asians have a tendency to have more fat around their abdomen or waist, abnormal levels of cholesterol, high insulin, and high blood pressure. These factors collectively referred to as “metabolic syndrome” make South Asians particularly vulnerable to heart disease.
- South Asians are less likely to engage in physical activity and have a diet high in fat which both contribute to increased risk of heart disease.
Read Real Stories
“My family has a very extensive history of heart disease, on both my mothers and my father’s side...”
Read the rest of Ami’s story here.
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Reducing Risk
Lifestyle changes can decrease risk for heart disease, such as:
“I try to eat healthy and work out regularly because i want to be able to enjoy and keep up with my kids. It is important for me that my kids create lifelong healthy habits so that they can live life fully. Also, with a history of chronic diseases in my family, I feel it is up to me to do what I can to maintain good health for myself and my family.”
Mukti, 35 years old
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“I have two daughters and two grandsons and they are my motivation to work out and eat right. As I grow older, I want to be as healthy as possible and not a burden on my daughters. Most importantly, I want to enjoy many more years with my grandchildren.”
Priya, 58 years old old
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