I’m a cardiologist with a higher risk for heart disease. Here’s what I’m doing to lower my risk.
- South Asians are all at a higher risk for heart disease, but researchers still don’t know why.
- A South Asian American cardiologist discussed the ways he lowers his risk for heart disease.
South Asians, including people of Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Nepali, and Sri Lankan descent, are all at a higher risk for heart disease — and researchers don’t know why.
South Asians make up a quarter of the world’s population, but a whopping 60% of all heart disease patients, and South Asian Americans tend to develop high blood pressure, abnormal cholesterol, and triglycerides, a type of fat in the blood that increases the risk for heart attacks, at lower body weights compared to other ethnicities.
Why South Asians are more at risk for heart disease remains a mystery, said Sandeep Jauhar, a New York-based cardiologist who authored a book on the topic, “Heart: A History.” Research specific to South Asians is still relatively new, Jauhar said, as they are, like many minority groups, underrepresented in medical trials.
“South Asians tend to get afflicted with heart disease at a younger age than Caucasians do. We see patients who come in their twenties even having had heart attacks who have no other obvious cardiac risk factors,” Jauhar said. “We don’t really have an answer yet.”
Though Jauhar is at a higher risk as a South Asian American doctor, the cardiologist shared 3 ways everyone can reduce their own risk, including ways he does so himself:
Statins can reduce the risk of heart attacks or strokes in high-risk people.
As someone who is at a higher risk for heart disease, Jauhar takes statins, a prescription pill that prevents your body from making a type of cholesterol that can cause plaque to build up in your arteries.
“There’s some benefit to taking drugs for primary prevention, especially when you have significant risk factors like being of South Asian descent,” he said.
Statins are the only cholesterol-lowering drugs directly associated with reduced risks for heart attacks or strokes, and randomized trial data suggests the drugs reduce the risk of cardiovascular events by about 25%, Insider previously reported.
Statins are recommended for people between 40 and 75 years of age who have at least a 7.5% risk of getting cardiovascular disease in the next 10 years. A cardiologist can help you determine if you have high enough risk, Jauhar said.
The cardiologist goes on a run everyday to cope with stress.
Jauhar said though he did not grow up particularly athletic, he has prioritized running in his adulthood and does it every day.
South Asian culture might have historically discouraged women from exercising, Jauhar said, as the society’s emphasis on family could discourage a woman from taking time out for herself over caring for her community.
But both South Asian men and women could likely benefit from more exercise. One paper from 2021 found Americans of Indian descent exercise less than white people, despite some research suggesting South Asians need to exercise more than the recommended guidance to decrease their risk for heart problems.
Countless studies indicate more exercise can improve heart health for everyone. People who do any kind of muscle-strengthening exercise for 30 to 60 minutes per week were significantly less likely to die from heart disease in one 2022 study. Another paper, published in 2016 in the journal Circulation, found young women who spent more than 150 minutes of their free time exercising had about a 25% lower risk for coronary heart disease.
Getting a runner’s high also gives Jauhar mental clarity and helps him cope with stress, another risk factor for heart disease, he says.
Jauhar reserves deep fried snacks and desserts for special occasions.
Jauhar said he eats a Mediterranean diet, which research has consistently shown can reduce the risk for chronic disease and overall mortality.
His diet consists of fish, nuts, legumes, olive oil, fruits and vegetables. He tends not to eat processed food, and opts for dishes that “look like whole foods.”
Jauhar said the traditional South Asian diet could contribute to heart disease risk, as dishes might have overcooked vegetables and excess oil or ghee, but these theories are “speculative” without more research.
Jauhar still eats traditional South Asian foods, but he’s cut back on curries made with red meats like mutton or lamb. He says he’ll have a deep fried samosa every now and again, but tends to reserve traditional snacks and desserts for special occasions.
But the cardiologist added he’ll have a bowl of ice cream if he wants to: “I’m not perfect.”
Overall, if you are concerned about your risk for heart disease, Jauhar recommends visiting a cardiologist who can run tests to check for abnormalities in your blood and arteries, and who can talk about lifestyle changes specific to you.
