Mumbai, India – The city that never sleeps is grappling with a silent health crisis. Heart attacks are on the rise, claiming the lives of an alarming 27 people daily in 2023. This equates to one death certificate issued every 55 minutes, highlighting the severity of the situation. The data released by the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) paints a grim picture of Mumbai’s cardiovascular health. Heart attacks accounted for a staggering 11% of all deaths in the city in 2023, up from 10% in 2022.
While the overall figures have remained relatively constant over the years, except during the COVID-19 pandemic, the emergence of hypertension in the under-40 age group is a cause for concern. BMC’s NCD corners, established to screen for non-communicable diseases such as hypertension and diabetes, have recorded a concerning number of young people with high blood pressure. Over the past two years, screenings at these corners revealed a 9% incidence of hypertension and 12.3% incidence of diabetes, both of which are major risk factors for heart disease. The city’s poor heart health is further underscored by the BMC’s door-to-door screening program, which identified 18,000 Mumbaikars with undiagnosed high blood pressure.
Additionally, the WHO STEPS Survey found that 34% of Mumbaikars aged 18-69 had high blood pressure, while 18% had diabetes and 21% were taking medication for high cholesterol. Mumbai’s plight is mirrored across India, which bears one of the highest burdens of cardiovascular disease globally. Mortality rates from cardiovascular disease in India are two to three times higher than those in the United States, according to the WHO. An online survey conducted by Wockhardt Hospitals in Mira Road revealed a disturbing lack of awareness about heart health among the public. A significant number of respondents admitted to not monitoring their blood pressure or cholesterol levels regularly, despite the guidelines recommended by the Cardiological Society of India.
Hypertension, often referred to as the “silent killer,” can lead to a host of serious health complications, including heart attacks, coronary artery disease, stroke, kidney disease, and peripheral vascular disease. The strain on blood vessels caused by high blood pressure can damage the endothelium, increasing the risk of plaque buildup and narrowing of the arteries. As Mumbai grapples with this escalating heart attack crisis, there is an urgent need for increased awareness, early detection, and preventive measures. Public health initiatives, including education campaigns, screening programs, and accessible healthcare services, are essential to combat this silent killer and safeguard the health of the city’s residents.
