New Delhi, Sep 29 (IANS): While males are generally more susceptible to heart disease than females, heart issues are now becoming increasingly common among young and premenopausal women in the country, health experts said on Sunday.

World Heart Day is observed every year on September 29 to raise awareness about the leading cause of death in India. The theme this year is ‘Use Heart for Action’. According to the ‘Global Burden of Disease Study’, heart disease is a leading cause of fatality among Indian women, accounting for over 17 per cent of deaths.

“Women are generally protected till menopause. However, we are oftentimes nowadays, finding a lot of young women who are premenopausal, having heart attack, heart disease and various other heart problems,” Dr S Ramakrishnan, professor in the cardiology department at AIIMS-New Delhi, told IANS.

The increased risk is driven by high prevalence of risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidemia. Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is also a significant concern among women, increasing the risk of heart disease.

PCOS is a highly prevalent health condition seen in women nowadays. It is characterised by weight gain, insulin resistance, pre-diabetes to diabetic conditions, excess of androgens.

According to Dr Arati Adhe Rojekar, Consultant Gynaecology at P.D. Hinduja Hospital and Medical Research Centre, Mahim, said that PCOS has a major impact on blood vessels and also on the heart.

“Obesity itself contributes to cardiac conditions by elevating bad cholesterol and triglycerides levels in the body. Insulin resistance and excess androgens too elevate the cardiac risks,” she added.

A recent study, published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, showed up to 51 per cent increased risk for CVD in women.

Dr. Sarita Rao, Sr. Interventional Cardiologist, Apollo Hospitals, told IANS women with PCOS, close to one in five in India, might suffer from metabolic syndrome (MeTS), a group of conditions like diabetes, abdominal obesity and insulin resistance, that could impact cardiovascular health.

The experts called for routine heart health checks to enable early diagnosis.

Women with PCOS should ensure they remain physically active and maintain a healthy diet so that they do not develop other lifestyle diseases, the experts said.

According to a study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, the prevalence of coronary artery diseases in women range from three to 13 per cent. The study also states that the disease has increased by over 300 per cent in the past 20 years.

Air pollution is another significant contributor to rising heart diseases. According to Dr Ramakrishnan, there are good studies that have documented more chances of heart attacks when the pollution levels are very high.

“Air pollution is emerging like smoking as one of the highest risk factors,” he added, suggesting people to start moderate aerobic exercises at least five days a week.