Dr. Devi Shetty, founder of Narayana Health, has advised the youth to pay attention to heart health. He said that cholesterol should be checked at the age of 17 years and men aged 35-40 should get regular heart screening done, so that the risk of heart diseases can be reduced.
New Delhi [भारत]July 10 (ANI): Dr. Devi Shetty, Founder and Chairman, Narayana Health, has appealed to Indians to start checking their heart health at an early age. He has said that every person should get a blood test done at the age of 17 so that high cholesterol can be detected and the risk of cardiovascular diseases in future can be reduced.
Referring to Cardiology Society of India guidelines, Dr Shetty told ANI that cholesterol testing at the age of 17 can help early identify those who are at risk. With this, they can manage this condition by making changes in lifestyle and eating habits.
Men should get their heart checked at the age of 35-40.
He further advised that all men aged 35 to 40 years should undergo regular heart screening, which also includes CT scan of the heart.
People with family history should take special care
He stressed that people with a family history of heart disease should not wait until their late 30s to get tested. “Those who have a family history of heart disease should go for a checkup at the age of 30,” he said. He also added that diabetic patients should undergo cardiac evaluation even earlier. He also stressed on the importance of regular monitoring of key health indicators like blood pressure, cholesterol levels and other cardiac parameters.
Youth fond of adventure sports should also get tested
Considering the increasing popularity of adventure and endurance sports among the youth, Dr. Shetty said that cardiac screening is also necessary for teenagers participating in extreme sports. He said a basic heart check-up, which involves simple tests and can be completed within an hour, should be done every year.
According to him, if the cardiac CT scan is normal, then it may not need to be repeated for seven to ten years.
Why does sudden death occur during exercise?
Expressing concern over sudden cardiac death during exercise, Dr. Shetty said that such incidents are not common, but often occur because hidden heart disease remains undetected.
He said that many people mistakenly assume that they are healthy, just because they feel fit. “You can have a serious heart problem and still not know it,” he said. He further said that many cases of people falling while running on a treadmill, participating in a marathon or doing general physical activities could have been prevented through timely screening.
He said that with simple tests like blood test, ECG and cardiac CT scan, blockage can be detected before it becomes fatal, so that patients can start treatment on time.
Dr. Shetty said one of the biggest challenges in India is that many people avoid visiting doctors until symptoms develop, causing them to miss the opportunity to prevent serious heart diseases. (ANI)
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