Executive Summary:
This document addresses a parliamentary inquiry regarding the increase in heart attack cases among individuals under 45 in India from 2022-2025. It details findings from an ICMR study, outlines public awareness campaigns and health initiatives, and describes support provided to states for NCD prevention and control. A key date mentioned is the NCD Screening Campaign, which ran from February 20th to March 31st, 2025.
Key Points / Main Content:
* **Data and Research:**
* Centralized data on heart attack cases is not maintained.
* ICMR-NIE conducted a case-control study (Oct 2021-Jan 2023) in 25 hospitals across India focusing on individuals aged 18-45 with newly diagnosed Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI).
* The study found that hospitalization with AMI was associated with comorbidities, family history of thrombotic events, and smoking.
* COVID-19 vaccination had no effect on AMI risk.
* Even without comorbidities, family history, or smoking, there was increased risk of AMI.
* **Public Awareness and Prevention Initiatives:**
* A population-based initiative for prevention, control, and screening for common NCDs, including hypertension, is rolled out under the National Health Mission (NHM).
* The NCD Screening Campaign (February 20th - March 31st, 2025) targeted individuals aged 30 years and above for universal screening.
* Preventive aspects of NCDs are strengthened through Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAM) via wellness activities and community-level communication.
* Public awareness is increased using print, electronic, and social media.
* Funds are provided to States/UTs, including Rajasthan, for awareness generation activities.
* World Hypertension Day was observed in every district of Rajasthan to create awareness and improve lifestyle with the support of front-line health workers.
* **Health Infrastructure and Support:**
* Regular health and Blood Pressure checkup camps are organized at the field level, including Dausa district of Rajasthan.
* The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare provides technical and financial support to States/UTs under the National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NPNCD).
* The program focuses on strengthening infrastructure, human resource development, screening, early diagnosis, referral, treatment, and health promotion for NCDs, including cardiovascular diseases.
Impact Analysis:
* **General Public (especially those over 30):**
* Impact: Increased awareness of NCDs, including hypertension and heart attack risk factors. Access to screening programs and health check-up camps.
* Action Required: Participate in screening programs, adopt healthy lifestyles, and seek regular health check-ups.
* **Government of Rajasthan:**
* Impact: Receives financial and technical support for NCD prevention and control activities. Expected to implement awareness campaigns and screening programs.
* Action Required: Utilize provided funds for awareness generation activities, organize health check-up camps, and ensure observation of World Hypertension Day.
* **Healthcare Providers (Doctors, Nurses, Frontline Health Workers):**
* Impact: Involved in conducting screening programs, providing health check-ups, and raising awareness about NCDs.
* Action Required: Implement screening programs, provide health check-ups, and educate the public on NCD prevention.
* **ICMR-NIE:**
* Impact: Responsible for conducting studies to understand the reasons for heart attacks.
* Action Required: Publish the key findings of the study.
Key Entities Referenced
Murari Lal Meena: Member of Lok Sabha who raised the question about heart attack incidents among youth.
Prataprao Jadhav: Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare who provided the answer to the question.
Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR): The apex body in India for the formulation, coordination and promotion of biomedical research.
ICMR-National Institute of Epidemiology (ICMR-NIE): An institute under ICMR that conducted a study on heart attack cases in India.
Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI): A medical term for heart attack, the focus of the study mentioned in the document.
National Health Mission (NHM): A government initiative to improve healthcare access and quality across the country.
Comprehensive Primary Health Care: An initiative under the National Health Mission focused on prevention, control, and screening for non-communicable diseases.
Rajasthan: A state in India where specific health initiatives and awareness campaigns related to heart health and hypertension were conducted.
GOVERNMENTOFINDIA
MINISTRYOFHEALTH ANDFAMILYWELFARE
DEPARTMENTOFHEALTHAND FAMILYWELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARREDQUESTION NO. 3366
TOBE ANSWERED ON08TH AUGUST,2025
INCIDENTS OFHEARTATTACK AMONG YOUTH
†3366. SHRIMURARI LALMEENA:
Will the Minister of HEALTH ANDFAMILYWELFAREbe pleased tostate:
(a) whether there has been an increase in the number of cases of heart attack among the age
group of people below 45 years in the country during the last three years i.e. 2022 to 2025, year-
wise andState-wise;
(b) the detailsof anystudy conducted, report made or healthassessment made inthisregard;
(c) whether a campaign to create public awareness and improve the lifestyle is being run to
overcome the said problem inthe country;
(d) if so, the effect of these campaign in Rajasthan including Dausa during the last three years,
year-wiseandState-wise;
(e) whether health check-up camps, ECG or BP check-up camps have been organized by the
Government in offices, schools, colleges and rural areas including Dausa district and if so, the
detailsthereof; and
(f) whether the Government has ensured the appointment of heart specialists and availability of
modern testing equipment in Government hospitals and Primary healthcare centres particularly in
Dausa district of Rajasthan andif so, the detailsthereof?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OFSTATE IN THE MINISTRYOFHEALTH AND
FAMILYWELFARE
(SHRIPRATAPRAO JADHAV)
(a) & (b): The data regarding cases of heart attack is not maintained centrally. Indian Council of
Medical Research (ICMR) has informed that in order to understand the reasons for heart attack,
ICMR-National Institute of Epidemiology (ICMR-NIE) conducted a multicentric matched case-
control study in 25 hospitals across India. Cases were patients aged 18-45 years admitted in the
study hospitals with newly diagnosed Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) between October 2021
andJanuary 2023.Controls were patients aged 18-45 years admittedin the same hospital for other
causes, matched for time of hospitalization. Information was collected regarding the various risk
factors.
Key findings of the study (not yet published) are givenbelow:
i. Hospitalization with AMI was associated with presence of any known comorbidity, family
history of thrombotic eventandeverbeingsmoker.
ii.Receiptof vaccinationagainst COVID-19 hadnoeffect onthe risk of AMI.iii.Eveninthose without anycomorbidities,family history of thrombotic eventsandeversmoking
was associated with increasedrisk of AMI.
(c) to (e): A population-based initiative for prevention, control and screening for common NCDs
includinghypertension hasbeenrolled out inthe countryunderNational HealthMission (NHM) as
a part of Comprehensive Primary Health Care. Under the initiative, persons more than 30 years of
age are targeted for theirscreening.
The Ministry of Health& Family Welfarehad launchedNCD ScreeningCampaign (20thFebruary,
2025 to 31st March 2025) to achieve universal screening of individuals aged 30 years and above.
The campaign was conducted nationwide including Rajasthan across AAMs and other healthcare
facilitiesunderNational Programmefor PreventionandControl of Non-Communicable Diseases.
Further, preventive aspect of NCDs is strengthened under Comprehensive Primary Health Care
through Ayushman Arogya Mandirs (AAM) by promotion of wellness activities and targeted
communication at the community level. Other initiatives for increasing public awareness about
NCDs and promotion of healthy lifestyle includes use of print, electronic and social media for
continued community awareness. Under National Health Mission (NHM), funds are provided to
States & Union Territories including Rajasthan for awareness generation activities as per their
ProgrammeImplementationPlans (PIPs).
As informed by Government of Rajasthan, World Hypertension Day was observed in every
districts tocreateawareness andimprove the lifestyle with the support of front line healthworkers.
Awareness activities like hypertension day celebration, camps, IEC display through hoardings,
wall painting, pamphlets, audio, video etc. are conducted in coordination with social organization
for public awareness. As a result, screening of hypertension has increased over the years due to
awareness among public. Regularhealth and Blood Pressure checkup camps are organized at field
levelincludingDausa district of Rajasthan.
(f): Health is a state subject. However, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare provides
technical and financial support to States and Union Territories across the country under the
National Programme for Prevention and Control of Non-Communicable Diseases (NP-NCD) as
part of the National Health Mission (NHM). The Programme focuses on strengthening
infrastructure, human resource development, screening, early diagnosis, referral, treatment, and
health promotion for Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) including Cardiovascular diseases as
perneedandproposal from the State.
******