A nationwide health study has found widespread cardiovascular risk factors among Pakistanis who considered themselves healthy, raising concerns over the growing burden of heart disease at younger ages.
Preliminary findings of the Pak Sehat Study showed that around 45% of participants had high blood pressure, 35% had diabetes and nearly 70% had elevated cholesterol levels, while between 72% and 80% were found to be obese.
The findings were presented at a seminar held at the University of Karachi in connection with World Heart Day.
Tabba Heart Director Dr. Bashir Hanif said the study had screened around 2,000 people aged 30 to 65 from across Pakistan, with participants selected according to the population share of each province.
Although all participants considered themselves healthy, medical histories, physical examinations, blood tests and diagnostic assessments, including CT angiography and ultrasound, revealed several previously unidentified cardiovascular risk factors.
Dr. Hanif said obesity was closely linked with high blood pressure, diabetes and elevated cholesterol, all of which could increase the risk of heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular diseases.
He added that South Asians tended to develop heart disease at younger ages and said heart attacks were now being reported even among people under 30.
The study is examining premature narrowing of coronary arteries and related risk factors among young and middle-aged Pakistanis to understand why cardiovascular disease is emerging relatively early in the country.
Researchers have also preserved blood samples from participants for genetic analysis, while dietary, environmental and lifestyle factors will be studied to identify possible causes of premature heart disease.
Participants will be followed for 10 years, with their medical histories, physical examinations and blood tests repeated at different stages. CT angiography will also be repeated after five and 10 years.
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