Recent research studies globally have found that Vitamin D deficiency plays a key role in heart diseases. It is estimated that around 80 per cent of the Indian population has Vitamin D levels less than normal and many are not even aware about this fact. So, the large number of heart disease patients and lack of awareness about Vitamin D deficiency makes a ‘heart-wrenching’ mocktail for Indians.
Recently, two major studies have been published that convincingly demonstrated that low vitamin D levels are connected to cardiac death. One of the studies was conducted amongst male healthcare professionals in the US. Those with vitamin D levels in the deficient range compared to those in the sufficient range had a two fold increase in risk of myocardial infarction.
A similar prospective study was conducted in Germany. In this study patients who were already cardiac patients and who were being admitted for cardiac catheterisation studies had their vitamin D levels measured and were then followed up for an average of 7.7 years. Again, those patients with vitamin D levels in the lowest quartile compared to those in the highest quartile had over a 200 per cent increase in their risk of death.
President of the Association of Physicians of India, Dr A Muruganathan, says that even in India, people with Vitamin D deficiency may be benefited with Vitamin D supplements and it may help in preventing cardiovascular diseases. “Along with other medication and measures, heart patients need to also ensure that their Vitamin D levels are maintained at the required levels. It is sad that many healthy people too are not aware that they may be deficient in Vitamin D and a prolonged status of this deficiency could even lead to heart-related problems,” he added.
About 25 per cent of deaths in the age group of 25-69 years occur because of heart diseases according to a recent study by the Registrar General of India (RGI) and the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR). If all age groups are included, heart diseases account for about 19 per cent of all deaths. It is the leading cause of death among males as well as females and in all regions of India, the study found.
EH News Bureau