World Malaria Day 2025: Know how malaria can affect your heart
World Malaria Day 2025: Malaria is typically associated with high fever, muscle aches, chills, nausea and vomiting. But it can rapidly escalate into life threatening situation as it has the potential to affect integral systems like cardiovascular health.
ALSO READ: Summer season and malaria: Doctor explains risk factors that can make you fall sick
World Malaria Day, observed annually on April 25, marks this year's theme as 'Malaria Ends With Us: Reinvest, Reimagine, Reignite.' As per the WHO, the 2025 campaign urges accelerated progress and collective efforts towards eliminating malaria, promoting increased resources and innovative strategies to treat the disease more effectively. The elimination of malaria also requires a community intervention, making malaria a shared responsibility, as the theme encouraged to 'reignite'.
Dr Bipeenchandra Bhamre, Consultant Cardiac Surgeon at Sir H. N. Reliance Foundation Hospital and Research Centre in Mumbai, explained how malaria can escalate and become life-threatening, affecting the heart drastically.
He said," Those with malaria can experience fever that can range from medium to high, sweating, chills, headaches, nausea, and feeling extremely tired even after taking enough rest. Mostly, people only focus on the immediate symptoms it causes, but malaria can also lead to severe complications that can be fatal if overlooked or left untreated. In severe cases, the infection travels rapidly through your body, and it can damage vital organs like the liver, brain, and kidneys. Did you know malaria can harm your heart? This particular infection can trigger inflammation, disrupt normal blood circulation, and lead to cardiovascular stress. People with existing heart conditions, high blood pressure, or anaemia should be cautious, as they are at higher risk of experiencing heart-related complications due to malaria."
Dr Bipeenchandra Bhamre further shared this guide on how malaria affects cardiovascular health:
This makes it all the more important to understand why prevention is better than a cure. Especially during the malaria season, one needs to be cautious and stay protected to avoid mosquito bites. It shows how deadly a mosquito bite can be, setting off a chain reaction and affecting all the integral systems in your body, making it life-threatening.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
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