Latest news with #WorldHeartFederation
Hindustan Times
10-07-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Michael Madsen's death draws attention to heart disease risks: Can alcoholism cause heart failure?
Hollywood actor Michael Madsen, known for his villain roles in Kill Bill and Reservoir Dogs, passed away on July 3, 2025, at the age of 67. He was found unresponsive at his home in Malibu, California, and was declared dead by emergency responders. His cardiologist has reportedly confirmed heart failure as the cause of death, with heart disease and a history of alcoholism named as contributing factors. Although Madsen had been sober in the months before his death and was trying to stay clean, his sudden passing has sparked conversations about the long-term impact of alcohol on heart health. Can alcohol abuse really lead to heart attacks, heart failure, or even cardiac arrest? Let us understand this and why the risks are often overlooked. Michael Madsen passed away at the age of 67 from heart failure. (Instagram) How does alcohol affect heart health? According to the World Heart Federation, alcohol is a psychoactive and harmful substance that can seriously affect the body, and that includes your heart. In 2019 alone, over 2.4 million people worldwide died due to alcohol-related causes. That is 4.3 percent of all global deaths, with men aged 15 to 49 being the most affected. While the dangers of alcohol on the liver are well known, its effects on the heart often go unnoticed. 'Drinking occasionally may not cause major harm, but heavy or regular drinking can lead to serious heart issues,' explains Dr Ruchit Shah, interventional cardiologist, Saifee Hospital. Here's how alcohol can impact your heart health: 1. Increased heart rate and irregular heartbeat According to a study published in the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, alcohol misuse can cause a faster heart rate or irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia), both of which raise the risk of heart problems. 2. Increase blood pressure The British Heart Foundation confirms that regularly drinking too much alcohol is strongly linked to high blood pressure (hypertension), which strains your heart and arteries over time. 3. Alcohol cardiomyopathy 'Long-term heavy drinking can weaken the heart muscle, making it harder to pump blood. This condition is called alcohol-related cardiomyopathy and can lead to heart failure,' states Dr Shah. 4. Weight gain Alcohol is high in calories, and it can make it harder to manage your weight. Excess intake of calories can lead to weight gain and obesity, which increases the risk of having a heart attack or stroke. Michael Madsen's death is a reminder that moderation or quitting alcohol is key to protecting your heart health! Can alcohol lead to heart failure? Yes, alcohol can harm your heart, especially when consumed in large amounts or over a long period. 'Excessive drinking raises your risk of high blood pressure, stroke, and heart failure. It can also lead to cardiomyopathy, a condition where the heart muscle becomes weak and struggles to pump blood,' according to Dr Shah. The World Heart Federation notes that even small amounts of alcohol can increase the risk of heart disease, including heart attacks, arrhythmia, and aneurysms. Chronic drinking may also cause anemia, low immunity, leukopenia (low white blood cell levels), thrombocytopenia (low platelet levels), and macrocytosis (enlarged red blood cells). How much alcohol is too much? While occasional drinking may seem harmless, studies show that no amount of alcohol is completely safe for heart health. Therefore, quitting alcohol completely is the best choice for your heart. But if you choose to drink, it is important to stick to moderate limits. Moderate drinking means up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men, as per the British Heart Foundation.
Mint
18-05-2025
- Health
- Mint
Access to obesity management not available to most Indian patients: World Heart Federation report
Mumbai: Obesity in India has risen tremendously in the last 35 years, in tandem with rising rates across the world, a new report highlights, and tools to manage obesity are not universally available to most patients. According to a report by the World Heart Federation (WHF), obesity in adults globally has quadrupled since 1990. In 2022, a good 878 million adults lived with obesity, compared with 194 million in 1990. The report, released on Saturday, projected that if the current growth trends continue, nearly two out of three adults (over 25 years) could be overweight or obese by 2050. The World Heart Report 2025—Obesity and Cardiovascular Disease highlights the rising prevalence of obesity and gaps in access to treatment worldwide. In India, obesity among women has grown at least sevenfold from 1990 to 2024, with 10% of adult women over the age of 20, about 44 million, living with obesity in the country. Obesity among men, in comparison, rose by 4.9% since 1990, now affecting 26 million Indian men or 5% of India's male population. India has twice as many obese women as men. Obesity among children and youngsters—between the ages of 5 and 19—is on the rise as well, the report cautioned. In India, 5.2 million, or 3%, girls are obese, an increase of 3% from 1990. On the other hand, around 7.3 million, or about 4%, boys are obese, which is an increase of 3.7% from 1990. As the rate of child obesity continues to increase, children with a high body mass index (BMI) are 40% more likely than their peers to suffer from cardiovascular disease in midlife. BMI helps to assess risk factors for certain health conditions. The onset of obesity at younger ages can significantly reduce life expectancy, the report said. Obesity is recognized as a disease, yet there are still significant gaps in treatment across the world. On one hand, the stigma and misunderstanding of obesity prevent people from receiving adequate treatment. Systemic healthcare gaps compound the problem and contribute to an economic burden worsened by the aggressive commercial practices of companies making cheap, processed food. In India, access to specific management protocols is not universally available to most patients, Dr Prabhakaran Dorairaj, president-elect of WHF, and executive director of the Centre for Chronic Disease Control in New Delhi, told Mint. 'The management of obesity, unlike, say, hypertension, is fragmented and highly heterogeneous. Most are centred on behaviour change of weight reduction through dietary modification and increased physical activity, which in many cases are not sustainable in the long term,' he said. Blockbuster weight loss drugs, like Eli Lilly's Mounjaro, available in the West, have received approval only recently in India, 'but access would be limited to a very few due to the high costs of these drugs,' Dr Dorairaj said. 'In extreme cases, bariatric surgery is available but in limited cities.' Mounjaro, a GLP-1 drug, was launched in India in March. It is still inaccessible to a large number of Indians at ₹ 17,500 monthly for a 5mg dose. GLP-1 drugs are a class of drugs that mimic the glucagon-like peptide-1 hormone which regulates blood sugar and appetite, and are used to treat type-2 diabetes and obesity. However, the drug's sales have picked up—consumption tripled in April. According to data from business-to-business platform Pharmarack, Mounjaro reported sales of ₹ 1.42 crore in March and ₹ 4.80 crore in April. However, as the dosage is once a week, this tripling may be an indicator of adherence to the dosage schedule. Mounjaro is just the first in a slew of launches expected in India. Danish drugmaker Novo Nordisk is likely to announce the launch of its weight loss drug Wegovy this year. As its blockbuster molecule, Semaglutide, goes off patent in 2026, Indian companies are ready to launch generic copies priced at 90-95%. The market for weight-loss drugs is expected to boom once prices go down. However, there is a need for public healthcare interventions to lower the incidence of obesity across the world. 'To tackle the world's mounting obesity crisis, governments must implement cost-effective public health measures that improve public awareness and decrease risk factors, recognising obesity as multifactorial and committing to making full treatment options available, accessible and affordable,' Francisco Lopez-Jimenez, professor of medicine at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and one of the report's authors, said. The cost of obesity is not just economic; it also leads to a higher mortality rate among susceptible individuals. Global deaths from cardiovascular disease linked to high BMI have more than doubled, the report highlights. While cardiovascular diseases already make up 25% of all deaths in India, 5.6% of these deaths can be attributed to high BMI. This is an increase from 1990, when around 15% of all deaths were from cardiovascular diseases, out of which 2.44% could be attributable to high BMI. Indian women, again, are more likely to die from high BMI-related cardiovascular diseases. In men, 4.6% of all cardiovascular disease deaths can be attributable to high BMI, whereas in women, almost 7% of all cardiovascular disease deaths can be attributed to high BMI. In 2019, the economic impact of overweight and obesity in India was estimated to be $28.95 billion, according to the World Obesity Federation. This is equivalent to $21 per capita and 1% of gross domestic product (GDP). The economic impacts are predicted to increase to $838.6 billion by 2060. This is equivalent to $508 per capita and 2.5% of GDP and represents a 29-fold increase in total costs.
Yahoo
17-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Two in three adults could be obese by 2050, according to world heart report (EMB Sat 17th 00:00)
Two in three adults over the age of 25 could be obese or overweight by 2050, experts have warned. Access to healthy and affordable food, green spaces and a shift towards desk jobs and longer working hours have contributed to increasing levels of obesity, according to the newly released World Heart Report. The report, compiled by the World Heart Foundation, also highlights that 'game changing' medical interventions such as weight loss jabs like Wegovy, are showing positive steps. Globally the number of adults living with obesity has quadrupled since 1990 from 194 million to 878 million in 2022 – a figure that is only expected to rise. Obesity is known to significantly increase the risk of several health conditions including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke and some cancers, according to the NHS. It causes 3.7 million deaths per year and is a leading driver of deaths from cardiovascular disease, the report by the World Heart Federation warns. High BMI accounts for nearly 10 per cent of all cardiovascular deaths worldwide, doubling to 1.9 million in three decades. Children with a high BMI are 40 per cent more likely than those with low BMI to suffer with cardiovascular disease in midlife. The economic impact of obesity is also rising. Costs to the global economy from obesity-related healthcare needs, productivity losses and death are estimated to amount to 2.2 per cent of global Gross Domestic Product (GDP). That's just under $2 trillion per year and it could reach 3 per cent annually by 2060. To tackle the problem some countries including the UK, Japan and Rwanda have taken steps to tackle obesity by limiting the density of fast-food outlets, particularly near schools and areas with childhood obesity and deprivation. The report also highlights that 'game changing' medical interventions such as weight loss jabs like Wegovy, are showing positive steps. 'To address the growing implications of the obesity crisis, we urge action and targeted investment by governments around the world. Health systems must be strengthened to ensure broader access to, and affordability of, medical care for obesity and cardiovascular disease,' said Mariachiara Di Cesare, Professor of Population Studies and Global Health, and Director of the Institute of Public Health and Wellbeing at the University of Essex, and one of the report authors. The report also suggests some health professionals hold negative biases about obesity and to view patients as 'non-compliant with health advice'. It explains this can deter people with obesity from seeking medical care, including prevention and screening, putting their overall health at risk. Authors also highlight that the perception that people living with obesity are 'lazy, gluttonous, and lacking in self-discipline" has long lasting psychological and physical consequences. Children and young adults are especially vulnerable to bullying and discrimination based on their weight, and obesity is now the leading cause of such bullying in schools, affecting children's education and their mental health. 'Longstanding weight stigma and discrimination have hindered efforts to tackle obesity and contributed to the rise of CVDs, so it is urgent to address both,' Professor of Medicine at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and one of the report authors said. 'Any policy to tackle obesity must address health disparities and support underserved populations who face greater barriers to healthy living and obesity therapies, while taking care to not further entrench the stigmatisation of obesity,' he added.
The Independent
16-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Two in three adults could be obese by 2050, according to world heart report (EMB Sat 17th 00:00)
Two in three adults over the age of 25 could be obese or overweight by 2050, experts have warned. Access to healthy and affordable food, green spaces and a shift towards desk jobs and longer working hours have contributed to increasing levels of obesity, according to the newly released World Heart Report. The report, compiled by the World Heart Foundation, also highlights that 'game changing' medical interventions such as weight loss jabs like Wegovy, are showing positive steps. Globally the number of adults living with obesity has quadrupled since 1990 from 194 million to 878 million in 2022 – a figure that is only expected to rise. Obesity is known to significantly increase the risk of several health conditions including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke and some cancers, according to the NHS. It causes 3.7 million deaths per year and is a leading driver of deaths from cardiovascular disease, the report by the World Heart Federation warns. High BMI accounts for nearly 10 per cent of all cardiovascular deaths worldwide, doubling to 1.9 million in three decades. Children with a high BMI are 40 per cent more likely than those with low BMI to suffer with cardiovascular disease in midlife. The economic impact of obesity is also rising. Costs to the global economy from obesity-related healthcare needs, productivity losses and death are estimated to amount to 2.2 per cent of global Gross Domestic Product (GDP). That's just under $2 trillion per year and it could reach 3 per cent annually by 2060. To tackle the problem some countries including the UK, Japan and Rwanda have taken steps to tackle obesity by limiting the density of fast-food outlets, particularly near schools and areas with childhood obesity and deprivation. The report also highlights that 'game changing' medical interventions such as weight loss jabs like Wegovy, are showing positive steps. 'To address the growing implications of the obesity crisis, we urge action and targeted investment by governments around the world. Health systems must be strengthened to ensure broader access to, and affordability of, medical care for obesity and cardiovascular disease,' said Mariachiara Di Cesare, Professor of Population Studies and Global Health, and Director of the Institute of Public Health and Wellbeing at the University of Essex, and one of the report authors. The report also suggests some health professionals hold negative biases about obesity and to view patients as 'non-compliant with health advice'. It explains this can deter people with obesity from seeking medical care, including prevention and screening, putting their overall health at risk. Authors also highlight that the perception that people living with obesity are 'lazy, gluttonous, and lacking in self-discipline" has long lasting psychological and physical consequences. Children and young adults are especially vulnerable to bullying and discrimination based on their weight, and obesity is now the leading cause of such bullying in schools, affecting children's education and their mental health. 'Longstanding weight stigma and discrimination have hindered efforts to tackle obesity and contributed to the rise of CVDs, so it is urgent to address both,' Professor of Medicine at Mayo Clinic College of Medicine and one of the report authors said. 'Any policy to tackle obesity must address health disparities and support underserved populations who face greater barriers to healthy living and obesity therapies, while taking care to not further entrench the stigmatisation of obesity,' he added.
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Study blames pollution, unhealthy diets for regional heart disease spikes across Asia
May 8 (UPI) -- Rapidly rising rates of heart disease across Southeast Asia, East Asia and Oceania are being driven by differing, localized consequences of industrialization and rapid economic growth, according to research released Thursday. In a study unveiled at the American College of Cardiology Asia 2025 scientific meeting in Singapore, researchers from India's Gujarat Adani Institute of Medical Sciences reported their data analysis shows that although ischemic heart disease soared across all three regions from 1990 to 2021, the factors driving the increases aren't the same everywhere. These "region-specific, modifiable risk factors" include toxic air pollution in East Asia and ultra-processed dietary dependence in Oceania, according to the authors. ischemic heart disease, or IHD, is a condition in which the heart is starved of oxygen due to a reduced blood supply, most commonly caused by a build-up of fatty plaque in the wall of one of the arteries supplying blood to the heart. As the plaque enlarges, it gradually obstructs the flow of blood, which deprives the heart of oxygen and nutrients, often resulting in strokes and heart attacks. IHD usually doesn't cause signs or symptoms until it severely narrows or totally blocks an artery. It is now the leading cause of premature death in 146 countries for men and 98 countries for women, according to the World Heart Federation. While previous research has shown that with rapid industrialization and resulting lifestyle changes, cardiovascular disease across Asia and Oceania has become a major concern, but the latest research shines a spotlight how the phenomenon differs from place to place. "Our study uncovers a critical and underreported dimension of the global cardiovascular crisis: the rapidly rising and regionally distinct burden of ischemic heart disease across Southeast Asia, East Asia, and Oceania -- regions that together represent over 2 billion people," said lead author Hardik Dineshbhai Desai, an independent researcher at the Gujarat Adani Institute. His analysis tapped data from the landmark Global Burden of Disease 2021 standardized methodology to assess the changing incidence and prevalence of IHD, along with rates of mortality and disability due to IHD, across the three regions. Among the nations included in the study were China, North Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand and American Samoa. The study revealed that during the 31 years from 1990 to 2021, the annual percentage change for total prevalence of ischemic heart disease across all three regions rose by 3.79%, while ISD-related deaths rose by 4.12%. Disability-adjusted life years, or DALYs -- representing the total years of life lost due to premature mortality and the time lived with a disability -- went up by 3.24%. Regionally, East Asia experienced the highest burden over the last three decades. Those younger than age 70 showed a "significant increase" in heart disease incidences and DALYs, while those 70 or older saw a rise in deaths during the same period. East Asian deaths from heart disease attributable to modifiable risk factors such as high blood pressure, unhealthy diets and air pollution rose by 2.4%, while DALYs rose by 1.71% from 1990 to 2021, the authors estimated. Meanwhile, the highest age-standardized IHD mortality rate was found in the nations of Oceania, including American Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Guam, Tuvalu and Vanuatu. Those countries posted a rate of 170.9 deaths per 100,000 people in 2021, mainly attributable to the rise in heavily processed foods in local diets, according to Desai. "The rise of IHD in Oceania -- and increasingly in parts of Southeast Asia and East Asia -- is strongly tied to the proliferation of ultra-processed foods, a byproduct of globalized food systems," he told UPI in emailed comments. "These foods, often high in trans fats, refined sugars and sodium and low in fiber or essential nutrients, are aggressively marketed, widely accessible and economically attractive, especially in low- and middle-income settings." In Oceania, particularly among Pacific Island nations, "traditional diets rich in root crops, fruits and fish have been steadily replaced by imported, calorie-dense packaged products such as processed meats, sugary beverages, instant noodles and refined snacks," he added. "This dietary shift is not simply a matter of personal choice, but reflects deeper structural issues -- including food import dependence, limited local food production, urbanization and economic constraints. "The epidemiological outcome is a dramatic rise in obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension and dyslipidemia -- key metabolic risk factors driving IHD." Across all of Asia, the rising levels of heart disease are evidence of what Desai called an "economic paradox" in which "the very forces driving economic growth -- urbanization, industrialization, and globalized food systems -- are simultaneously accelerating the burden of ischemic heart disease." In parts of Southeast and East Asia, he said, "modern food environments and sedentary urban lifestyles are rapidly displacing traditional, balanced diets. What makes this particularly concerning is that the metabolic consequences emerge earlier and progress more aggressively in these populations, often without adequate health system capacity to respond." The study's findings "demonstrate an alarming rise of ischemic heart disease across Southeast Asia and East Asia," said Dr. Kevin Shah, a cardiologist with the MemorialCare Heart & Vascular Institute at Long Beach Medical Center in California. Shah, who has conducted research focused on heart disease in the South Asian community, was not connected to the Indian study. He told UPI its results "underscore how globalized changing dietary patterns have converged with traditional risk factors to create a 'perfect storm' for cardiovascular disease in a region representing nearly a third of global economic activity." The study, he said, is "particularly valuable" due to its detailed mapping of regional disparities and the identification of metabolic risk factors as the fastest-growing contributors to mortality. "As we confront the reality that ischemic heart disease now accounts for nearly 15% of all deaths in this region, this study provides an further support for developing targeted interventions that can address both the socioeconomic determinants and clinical management of heart disease across diverse Asian populations," Shah said. Desai, the study's chief author, agreed that it could provide a roadmap for Asian policymakers to move from "reactive to preventive" cardiovascular strategies and to concentrate on localized approaches, such as controlling air pollution control in East Asia and lipid and blood pressure screening in Southeast Asia. "One-size-fits-all approaches have failed in the past because they overlook local context; our findings offer a data-driven roadmap for precision public health," he said. And more broadly, the findings can serve a guide for implementing "bold, localized policy" across multiple sectors of governments, including not only health ministries but those covering agriculture, trade, urban planning and education. "For example, governments can implement front-of-pack food labeling, regulate trans fats and added sugars, subsidize healthier local produce, and limit the marketing of ultra-processed foods, especially to children," Desai said. "Investments in primary care infrastructure for early detection of hypertension and metabolic risks can also be scaled in high-burden areas." Dr. Annabelle Santos Volgman, a cardiologist, researcher and professor at Rush College of Medicine in Chicago, said the study's findings are all too familiar. "We have been seeing a trend in these regions of the world for the increasing mortality from cardiovascular disease versus communicable disease," she told UPI. "The reasons for this increase have been explained by the authors, but the challenge is that social determinants of health are a major barrier to decreasing cardiovascular mortality in many nations."
