Cardiac issues preventable with timely action: Experts

India mirrors this global emergency, they stated. Rising rates of obesity, diabetes and hypertension, combined with smoking, poor diets and increasingly sedentary routines, are pushing heart disease into younger age groups, experts said

- PRESS TRUST OF INDIA

The human heart is resilient, but is not immune to the damage caused by untreated risk factors, experts said, underlining that machines or medicines are not the greatest safeguards, but raising awareness about early warning signs and timely action are.

On World Heart Day, doctors said that the majority of premature deaths due to cardiovascular diseases can be prevented with timely screening, early treatment and healthier lifestyles.

One untreated blockage can take away a life in minutes, Dr Ashok Seth, chairman, cardiac sciences, Fortis Escorts Heart Institute, said.

"The tragedy is that most heart attacks are not out of the blue. People often experience chest tightness, unusual breathlessness, or unexplained fatigue days or weeks in advance," Dr Seth said