Are You at Risk?
Research shows that people of South Asian origin are at a three to five fold risk of heart attack and death from cardiovascular diseases compared to other ethnic groups. What’s worse is that South Asians are prone to developing heart disease at a younger age, and for some men even before the age of 40. South Asians also have higher rates of type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure than the general population and this puts you at increased risk for heart disease and stroke.
Here are some other startling facts and statistics about the South Asian community:
- South Asians tend to have more fat around their abdomen or waist, abnormal levels of cholesterol, high insulin, and high blood pressure–factors referred to as “metabolic syndrome”–which make them vulnerable to heart disease.
- South Asians are younger at the time of first hospitalization for heart failure.
- South Asians have the highest rates of coronary artery disease in the world, approximately 10 years earlier than in other populations.