Mumbai Residents Show High Homocysteine Levels in 87.57% of Cases: Tata 1mg Labs Investigation
Public health data reveals that India is home to an alarming 60% of the world’s heart disease cases, despite accounting for less than 20% of the global population. Heightened obesity and hypertension rates among younger individuals put them at risk of developing heart disease earlier in life. In India, 50% of all heart attacks in men take place before the age of 50, and 25% before 40. Women are also affected, with high mortality rates from heart disease.
Several lifestyle factors contribute to heart conditions in young Indians, including unhealthy habits, lack of exercise, obesity, and smoking. Apart from diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol, another independent risk factor for heart disease is elevated blood homocysteine levels. Dr. Sameer Gupta, an Interventional Cardiologist and Head of Cardiology for the Metro Group of Hospitals, explains the role of homocysteine testing in assessing heart disease risk.
Tata 1mg Labs recently conducted an analysis of data from 4609 homocysteine tests in Mumbai over a two-year period. The study showed that 87.57% of the tested individuals had above-normal homocysteine levels, making them prone to heart issues like blood clots, heart attacks, and strokes. Interestingly, women had better results than men, with only 36.84% presenting elevated homocysteine levels, compared to 62.93% of men.
Dr. Gupta stresses the importance of analyzing homocysteine levels in relation to other risk factors and patient profiles. While high homocysteine levels are associated with increased risk, no definitive data shows that reducing homocysteine levels will lower heart disease risk. Nonetheless, regular heart health check-ups and early detection of heart conditions are crucial for timely treatment and better health outcomes.
Author
