fortis hospitals vadapalani chennai in association with the times of india organized a live interactive session on cardiac care this red cell initiative was hosted live on the facebook page of toi chennaithe confabulation was moderated by drtausif ahmed thangalvadi and the interaction was with dr govini balasubramani an adept cardiothoracic heart and lung transplant surgeon and dr meenakshi an interventional cardiologist who excels at precision diagnostics and interventional skillsthe trinity commenced their discussion with the risk of heart disease burden growing rampantly in the country dr govini said that india is the largest capital for diabetes which is the most common cause for coronary diseases that set foot in our country he harks back in time to the 80s and 90s when the risk of valvular heart diseases was high post which coronary diseases and heart failures are on the surge for over two decades now he says that technology has given them the opportunity to spot diagnose and treat patients with such conditions easily thanks to their public awareness and media updatesdrmeenakshi further validated that the crux of cardiac diseases lies with ones lifestyle and dietary patterns stress is one among the predominant factors which cannot be reasoned just on lighter notes she said there has been a grievous shift in the age limits of the patients who are succumbed by heart diseases with a majority of them ranging between 25 to 30 years of age in the former times only the old and elderly were diagnosed with such conditions but now hypertensions and diabetes play a universal havoc irrespective of ages early detection when coupled with proper care and treatment helps in keeping the countrys wailing cardiac malfunctions under controldr meenakshi articulates the two broad classifications of modifiable and non modifiable risk factors that strike a heart attack the modifiable factors are a patients social behaviour and habits lifestyle diet and stress these are factors that can be modified through efforts and guidance and hence its nomenclature she even vividly enunciates that stress could be a formidable propellant as it leads to an increased heart rate and blood pressure levels the cholesterol deposits lining the valves blocks the blood flow in the arteries such plaques may suddenly rupture the distorted vital stats caused by stress cause a turbulent flow of blood in the vessels that causes sudden blood clots over the ruptures thereby causing a heart attack when episodes are a resultant of nonmodifiable factors such as the patients age genetic history of cardiac diseases and gender treatment would be the sole resolutionon womens cardiac health dr meenaskhi said that women are at risk only after their menopause as their oestrogen hormones function as a defensive veil against heart diseases this does not mean that women are not prone to cardiac complications unlike men its only the age at which they encounter this condition that distinguishes them from the male gender the risk factors are common for both with the risk levels being elevated for women dr