Are we treating heart attacks too late? Detect your risks before symptoms show up

Every day, people in India arrive at hospitals after experiencing chest pain that they initially mistake for acidity. The urgency of seeking care is often delayed due to uncertainty, fear of medical costs, and concerns about busy healthcare facilities. This pattern results in patients losing precious time as their heart muscle quietly deteriorates.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in India, with 28.6 lakh deaths annually, and Indians develop heart disease almost a decade earlier than the global average. A heart attack is not a sudden event, but a slow process of muscle damage that can be halted if blood flow is restored quickly. Unfortunately, half of all heart attack deaths in India occur before patients reach the hospital.

Guidelines recommend an ECG within 10 minutes of medical contact, but patients often travel for hours and may need to visit multiple healthcare centers before receiving that first ECG. Heart attack symptoms are frequently misinterpreted as acidity, fatigue, or stress, further delaying the urgency needed. However, preventing heart disease is equally important.

By understanding risk factors, recognizing early warning signs, and making healthier choices, the risk of heart disease can be significantly reduced. Recent evidence suggests that cardiovascular disease affects around 11% of India's adult population, with high blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar being prevalent. To move beyond a reactive specialty, the focus should shift to predictive, preventive, and personalized cardiac care.

Advances in medical technology, such as non-invasive tools and AI-based risk tools, can detect plaque build-up and abnormal heart rhythms years before symptoms appear. Personalized medicine is crucial, as risk profiles vary among individuals. A comprehensive approach, including public awareness, wider availability of diagnostic facilities, stronger networks for connecting smaller healthcare centers, and routine risk-based preventive screening, is necessary to close the gap between symptoms and treatment.