Overview

• India’s official Sample Registration System reports cardiovascular disease caused about 31% of all deaths in 2021–23, up from 22.2% a decade earlier.
• WHO says eight people die of cardiovascular disease every minute in the South‑East Asia Region and estimates 19.8 million CVD deaths globally in 2022.
• Regional officials note roughly 85% of people with hypertension or diabetes are not controlling their conditions, underscoring large treatment gaps.
• Government leaders amplified World Heart Day’s ‘Don’t Miss a Beat’ message with guidance to reduce salt, quit tobacco, limit alcohol, exercise, and join ‘Keep the Beat’ pledges for 25 minutes of daily activity.
• Apollo Hospitals’ screening data identify urban hotspots and hidden risks, including high fatty liver rates in Delhi‑NCR, widespread coronary calcium and obstructive disease in Mumbai, and early‑age hypertension tied to sedentary work in Bengaluru.