Sree Chitra Institute trial proves lifestyle changes cut heart risk at one-tenth cost

A PATHBREAKING trial by researchers at Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST) has proved that a carefully structured lifestyle intervention programme, delivered by trained community health workers, can significantly reduce cardiovascular risk in high-risk families, at just a fraction of the cost of conventional medical treatments.

- UNNIKRISHNAN S @T'Puram

The two-year-long PROLIFIC trial (Programme of Lifestyle Intervention in Families for Cardiovascular Risk Reduction), involving 750 families and over 1,600 people, has debunked the widespread belief that drug-based therapies are the only option for people genetically predisposed to heart disease.

With cardiovascular disease remaining India's leading cause of death, the findings offer a promising alternative, especially in Kerala, where a majority of low-income households face catastrophic health expenses and many are forced to take loans or sell assets for treatment. At a modest cost of just ₹2,806 per person, the family-focused programme achieved results comparable to those of expensive pharmacological treatments, often costing 10 to 20 times more.