Men’s heart risk starts earlier than you think | India News
New Delhi: Most men in their thirties do not see heart disease as a real threat New research suggests exactly when it might start.A large, long-term study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association shows that in the mid-30s, men’s heart disease risk begins to rise faster than women’s — years before any warning signs appear. Tracking 5,000 adults over three decades, researchers found a clear difference around age 35, after which men’s risk rises sharply and remains higher through midlife.Men reach a 5% prevalence of cardiovascular disease about seven years earlier than women. The gap was even wider for coronary heart disease, where the risk was seen more than a decade earlier, indicating early damage to blood vessels. Notably, the difference persisted after accounting for factors such as blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, obesity and physical activity.Experts say this is a reflection of growing concerns in India. Dr Ambuj Roy, professor of cardiology at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, says heart disease is no longer seen as a middle-aged condition. “Risk factors are now showing up in the early 30s, and as Indians start developing cardiovascular disease, screening for diabetes, hypertension and abnormal lipids should start sooner,” he said.Experts have also warned that the results – based on a Western cohort – may underestimate the risk in the Indian population. Dr. Mohit Gupta, of the Govinda Vallabh Pant Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, said cardiovascular risk is often seen earlier in South Asians. While men tend to develop coronary disease earlier, women’s risk increases rapidly after menopause and is often missed. “The key message is not about men versus women, but about missed prevention,” he said, urging screening and risk awareness to start in the thirties or earlier.Current screening guidelines generally focus on those age 40 and older.For women, the pattern is different—a lower risk in early adulthood and a sharp increase after menopause, narrowing the gap over time.
