Heart Health for Women in Their 20s

Prevention Starts Early.

- Dr. Neelam Dahiya

Heart disease is often perceived as a condition that afflicts older adults, but this assumption can be dangerously misleading—especially for women. Emerging research and clinical data suggest that cardiovascular risk factors begin to accumulate as early as the 20s, making this decade a critical window for prevention.

In India, where heart disease remains the leading cause of death among women, the need for early intervention is especially urgent. Lifestyle choices made during this formative period can set the tone for heart health decades later.

Indian Institute of Public Health—Gandhinagar (IIPH-G) conducted studies showing that young women with PCOS or irregular menstruation are predisposed to future CVD, highlighting the importance of early intervention.