Three out of ten Mumbai residents are at high risk of heart attack and a marginal population is at high risk of developing cardio vascular diseases, revealed Metropolis Healthcare study.

Ahead of World Heart Day falling on September 29, 2016, the study was conducted by Metropolis Healthcare to understand the intensity of the heart disease among Mumbai residents.

Among the 1,35,054 lipid profile samples that were collected for a period of five years (2011 – 2015); an alarming 33.14 per cent of patients in the age group of 20-80 years have reported dyslipidaemia. 33.14 per cent samples reported high total cholesterol level. 34.44 per cent have high triglyceride level. 40 per cent of the population have extremely low HDL levels, the good cholesterol and over 53 per cent have less than desirable levels. 30.68 per cent have borderline high or high LDL levels.

Dr. Deepak Sanghavi, Deputy Chief of Lab, Metropolis Healthcare Ltd said, “The incidence and prevalence of cardiovascular disease has been steadily rising in India. The major factors attributed to this are changes in lifestyle, lack of exercise, consumption of non-nutritious food, increased stress level, smoking and irrational use of tobacco. Prolonged working hours, hectic commute and growing incidence of obesity along with sedentary lifestyle is also one of the reasons for Mumbai’s population to be more prone to heart ailments.”

High blood cholesterol and triglyceride –Usually there are no signs or symptoms. People with high blood cholesterol level have higher chances of developing cardiac risk. This results in development of plaques in the arteries.

Plaques are basically a substance made of fat, cholesterol which clogs the arteries depriving heart and brain from getting good amount of oxygen; this increases the chances of heart attack or stroke. The higher level of HDL (sometimes called good cholesterol) in the blood lowers the chances of developing heart disease.

The general perception is that heart disease is more prevalent in men, but women are equally at risk of developing cardiovascular disease. The main contributing factor is being unhealthy lifestyle, inappropriate diet and physical inactivity. Smoking and diabetes have also emerged as major factors responsible for causing cardiovascular diseases.

Cholesterol is a fat-like substance (lipid) that is present in cell membranes and is a precursor of bile acids and steroid hormones. Normally cholesterol travels in the blood in distinct particles containing both lipid and proteins (lipoproteins). In modern times, non-HDL cholesterol (non-HDL-C) has become a commonly used marker for a blood lipid pattern associated with increased risk of heart disease.

Dyslipidemia is a primary and major risk factor for CAD and may even be a prerequisite for CAD, occurring before other major risk factors come into play. Epidemiologic data also suggest that hypercholesterolemia and perhaps coronary atherosclerosis itself are risk factors for ischemic stroke. Medical professionals typically test cholesterol levels through medical check-ups and in order to evaluate total cholesterol, triglycerides, and HDL-C. Atherosclerosis is the most well-known and the fundamental reason for cardiovascular diseases. Atherosclerosis is a condition where the arteries become narrowed and hardened due to an excessive build-up of plaque in the artery wall, which is formed by accumulation of lipids, which leads to CAD. It is generally mediated by a complex interaction between lipoproteins, white blood cells and the normal components of the arterial wall.