Diabetes, Kidney Disease Fueling Heart Crises

Emerging evidence highlights diabetes and kidney disease as critical, often overlooked, drivers of cardiovascular complications. These conditions, alongside high blood pressure, interact synergistically, amplifying risks for heart attacks and strokes. India faces a substantial challenge, with current estimates indicating 101 million individuals have diabetes and 136 million are prediabetic. This situation underscores the global trend where metabolic disorders are intrinsically linked to heart health.

The medical community now recognizes this complex interplay as cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome. This is a cluster of interlinked conditions that can lead to severe disability and premature death if not managed effectively. Studies suggest a significant public awareness gap regarding these links. While conditions like diabetes and hypertension are somewhat recognized as risk factors, the connection to optimal blood pressure targets and LDL cholesterol awareness remains uneven.

Health experts emphasize that metabolic disorders are foundational to many serious illnesses, with metabolic syndrome being a primary root cause. They advocate for early detection through routine screenings for blood sugar, blood pressure, kidney function, and cholesterol levels. Improving public understanding of these connections is deemed as crucial as medical treatment in preventing future cardiac events, particularly given India's escalating burden of metabolic diseases.