NEW DELHI : The Apollo Hospitals Group and Johns Hopkins Medicine International, United States, on Tuesday announced plans to undertake a collaborative study on cardiovascular diseases in India.

The study is aimed at assessing and developing strategies for prevention and control of cardiovascular diseases and will investigate genetic variants associated with early onset of the same among Indians. It will also focus on advanced technology that can be used for diagnosis and treatment.

Incidence of cardiovascular diseases has been found to be rapidly increasing among Indians and carries a high mortality rate. Expert estimates put India as having the highest incidence of cardiovascular diseases in the world, more so among the younger generation.

Senior consultant-cardiology at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital here, Sunil Modi, said: "This would be the first comprehensive study to look into the several theories that are attributed to influencing a higher rate of cardiovascular diseases prevalence in the country. Indians through genetic influence manifest low good cholesterol, which prevents heart diseases, and higher incidence of diabetes and abdominal obesity that makes us prone to coronary heart diseases... " This collaborative research is aimed at studying in detail and documenting the key risk factors and providing a greater insight to develop appropriate steps towards control and prevention. "Through this study, to be carried out in Delhi, Chennai and Hyderabad from October, we hope to identify the specific dietary component that increases and decreases the risk of disease. In addition, our goal is to identify genes that are associated with premature disease. Lifestyle modifications coupled with exercise are the best way to reduce the risk factors,'' said Susan J. Zieman, Assistant Professor of Medicine at the Department of Cardiology of Johns Hopkins Medicine International. Susan J. Zieman.

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