Heart Disease Emerges as Telangana's Leading Cause of Death
Heart disease has become the single biggest killer in Telangana, accounting for nearly two out of every five medically certified deaths in the state. This alarming statistic highlights the growing impact of lifestyle-related illnesses on public health across the region.
Official Data Reveals Stark Reality
According to the Medical Certification of Cause of Death (MCCD) Report-2023 released by the Registrar General of India, diseases of the circulatory system caused approximately 42% of medically certified deaths in Telangana. These diseases include heart attacks, hypertension, and strokes.
Of the 1.45 lakh deaths recorded in Telangana during the year, medical professionals certified 92,068 deaths, representing 38.4% of total fatalities. Health experts say these numbers point to a mounting burden of non-communicable diseases across the state.
Medically certified deaths occur when a doctor examines the deceased person and formally records the cause of death under the MCCD system. This process provides more reliable mortality data compared to uncertified deaths.
Young Adults Face Growing Heart Risks
Dr. Jagadesh Madireddi, a consultant interventional cardiologist at Yashoda Hospitals, called the MCCD data a warning siren for public health. He emphasized that heart disease is no longer just an old-age problem.
"Long desk hours, fast food consumption, smoking, poor sleep patterns, obesity, and chronic stress are quietly damaging young hearts," Dr. Madireddi explained. "Most alarming is that heart attacks now commonly affect people in their 30s and 40s. Young, fit-looking professionals are landing in intensive care units with blocked arteries, which was once unthinkable."
Doctors identified several major contributors to this health crisis:
- Sedentary lifestyles with minimal physical activity
- Unhealthy dietary habits and poor nutrition
- High stress levels in professional and personal life
- Late detection or poor control of hypertension and diabetes
Experts Call for Preventive Measures
Public health experts emphasize the urgent need for early and sustained intervention to address this growing crisis. Dr. Immauddin Syed, head of the cardiology department at Osmania General Hospital, stressed the importance of preventive healthcare.
"Regular health screening, early diagnosis, and continuous preventive care at the primary healthcare level can play a crucial role in reducing premature deaths due to heart disease," Dr. Syed stated.
He highlighted the need to strengthen public awareness about essential lifestyle changes:
- Increased physical activity and regular exercise
- Healthy eating habits and balanced nutrition
- Routine health check-ups for early detection
- Stress management techniques
Dr. Syed particularly emphasized reaching younger and working-age populations with these preventive messages.
Telangana's Dual Disease Burden
The remaining 58% of medically certified deaths in Telangana came from various other causes. Respiratory diseases like pneumonia, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease accounted for 7.2% of deaths. Infectious diseases caused 3.3% of fatalities, while cancers, injuries, and genitourinary diseases together represented 3.4%.
Health experts say this distribution reflects Telangana's dual burden of communicable diseases and non-communicable diseases. Both types of health threats require attention from the healthcare system.
Reporting Gaps and Healthcare Challenges
Telangana's overall performance in medical death certification has declined in recent years. The state once ranked sixth nationally but has now fallen to fourth place in terms of the proportion of deaths with medically certified causes.
This drop highlights significant gaps in several areas:
- Death reporting systems and procedures
- Healthcare coverage across different regions
- Access to medical certification facilities
- Overall healthcare accessibility for residents
Health experts argue that improving death certification processes and strengthening preventive healthcare measures are critical steps. These improvements would enable better-informed policy planning and help reduce avoidable deaths in the long term.
The heart disease crisis in Telangana serves as a stark reminder that lifestyle choices significantly impact public health outcomes. As younger populations face increasing risks, comprehensive prevention strategies become more urgent than ever.
