Creating Awareness for Preventing Coronary Artery Disease
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South Asians – men and women who trace their origins to India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka – experience coronary artery disease at up to four times the rate of the general world’s population. South Asians also suffer heart attacks at an earlier age, often without prior symptoms or warning.
Traditional risk factors fail to account for South Asians suffering heart attacks at a greater rate and an earlier age. South Asians do not have a higher incidence of cigarette smoking, obesity, hypertension, or high blood pressure. Nearly half are lifelong vegetarians who exercise regularly.
Research has started to identify additional critical risk factors. They include fibrinogen, insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome, low HDL, HDL2b, high triglycerides, small dense LDL, homocysteine and lipoprotein. Unfortunately, few healthcare providers screen South Asians for these factors prior to a cardiac event.
The South Asian Heart Center aims to empowers participants and healthcare providers with pioneering best practices for detecting and treating coronary artery disease. Their first five year objectives include educating 5,000 health care providers on risk factors and assessment through symposiums and lecture series, which in turn can reach 75,000 participants. They also aspire to educate 15,000 community members on heart disease prevention at community centers, temples, and South Asian organizations.
We feel privileged to be able to support South Asian Heart Center’s awareness objectives. This cause is personally dear to us as we lost Prof. Ram Kumar to a sudden heart attack at a very young age. He was a vegetarian, did not drink or smoke, exercised daily, and led a very healthy life style.
Raj and Pallavi Shah
