Dr Mitesh Kumar, Senior Consultant – Cardiology (Fortis Hospital, Cunningham Road, Bengaluru) highlights the urgent need to recognize and address the unique heart health challenges faced by Indian women. Drawing on recent research and expert insights, it sheds light on the overlooked symptoms, rising risk factors, and necessary steps toward prevention and early detection.
For too long, heart health in women has been treated as an afterthought in India’s healthcare narrative. Yet the numbers tell a sobering story. According to the World Heart Report 2025 over 44 million adult women in India were living with obesity in 2024 and 10% of all women were over the age of 20. This is a sevenfold rise since 1990. The consequences are staggering: cardiovascular disease (CVD) is now the leading cause of death among Indian women, responsible for over 40% of female mortality.
What is particularly alarming is the early onset of these conditions. Indian women are experiencing heart attacks nearly a decade earlier than their Western counterparts and the prevalence of stroke among women aged 64 in India is 4 to 6% which is much higher than the 3 – 4% seen in the West. This growing burden cannot be ignored any longer.
The Hidden Face of Heart Disease in Women
Cardiovascular disease in women often hides behind subtle and atypical symptoms. Instead, it can feel like constant tiredness, waves of nausea or even a dull ache in the jaw. These mild signs lead to late diagnosis. After menopause, the risk gets even higher. Many women delay check-ups because of household responsibilities, financial limits and lack of awareness.
Research shows just how serious this has become. A study published in BMC Women’s Health in 2024, covering more than seven lakh women across India, found central obesity to be the most common risk factor for heart disease and an astonishing 78.2% of participants were affected. Almost one in four were overweight or obese and those from Scheduled Tribes were at even greater risk.
Research published in the Indian Journal of Cardiovascular Disease in Women goes a step further. It confirms that coronary artery disease is the leading cause of death among Indian women. Almost 90 percent of women with coronary artery disease have a family history of heart problems. Risk factors that are specific to women, such as pregnancy complications, anemia, migraines, and depression, also raise their vulnerability. These findings make it clear that women’s heart health cannot be addressed with a one-size-fits-all approach.
Steps Toward Better Heart Health
Improving women’s heart health needs a multi-layered approach. At the individual level regular health screenings are critical. After 30, women should undergo annual screenings for blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol. Maintaining a healthy waist circumference through balanced nutrition and physical activity is essential because central obesity has been shown to be the most common risk factor. Learning to recognize atypical heart attack symptoms can make the difference between life and death.
At the family level, support and encouragement play an important role. Women often delay seeking care because they are busy caring for others. Families can share the responsibility by helping women make time for exercise by planning healthy meals together and by taking their concerns seriously when they say they are feeling unwell.
At the healthcare and community level, there is a need for better access to gender-sensitive diagnostics and treatment. Training healthcare workers to identify heart disease symptoms in women especially in rural areas can reduce missed diagnoses. More awareness programs should reach women in villages and small towns where the burden of risk factors is higher.
Public health initiatives are beginning to reflect this understanding. The government’s Swasth Nari, Sashakt Parivar Abhiyaan which was launched in convergence with Poshan Maah is focusing on the health and nutrition of women and children. Through screenings, health counselling and awareness drives, such programs are encouraging women to take charge of their health early and seek care when needed.
The Road Ahead
Protecting women’s heart health is not just about saving lives. It is about ensuring that families, communities and the nation remain strong. When women are healthy, children grow healthier and families are better cared for. India cannot afford to lose its women to preventable heart disease at the peak of their lives.
The solution lies in awareness, early detection and equal access to healthcare. If women begin prioritizing their health, families support them and healthcare systems address their unique risks, we can reverse this trend. Heart disease may be silent but our response to it should be anything but silent. The time to act is now.
