Data Analytics Report based on more than 3.3 Million samples received from women for Lipid profile testing
A recent analysis on lipid tests results done by SRL Diagnostics, one of the leading diagnostic chain in India, showed that more than 41 per cent of women had an abnormal lipid profile, which revealed an alarming fact that women in India are also prone to cardiovascular diseases.
The analysis is based on more than 3.3 million lipid profile tests performed at SRL Labs across India during the period of 2014-2016.
For the analysis purpose, SRL divided the samples received from across the country into four zones- East, West, North and South. The reports reveals that the two zones (North – 33.11 per cent and East – 35.67 per cent) in India showed higher abnormal levels of triglycerides while low HDL and high total cholesterol levels were more commonly seen in South (34.15 per cent) and West zones (31.90 per cent) of India.
A lipid profile measures the amount of cholesterol present in lipid carrier proteins like Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL), High Density Lipoprotein (HDL) etc and fats (triglyceride) present in the blood. High total cholesterol levels usually don’t cause any symptoms but can lead to thickening or blocking of arteries which ultimately lead to cardiovascular problems like angina, heart attack or stroke. Therefore, lipid levels are one of the most prescribed blood tests worldwide. Not only for measuring risk of CVD, lipid tests are regularly used to initiate and manage therapy of cholesterol lowering drugs also.
Commenting on the research, Dr Avinash Phadke, President Technology & Mentor (Clinical Pathology) from SRL Diagnostics said, “The burden of cardiovascular disease in India has been growing steadily over the past few decades. Most women worry about breast cancer, but more women die from heart attacks than from cancer. In India cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of women. It’s an alarming situation as heart attacks appear differently in women than men and it is more fatal in the post menopausal women than it is in men. We should all work together to spread awareness in the society about this fact”