Panel advises cardiac screenings from age 15, creation of registry
cardiac screenings
National Cardiac Surveillance Registry
early intervention
In a push to tackle the alarming rise in(SCD), especially among young adults, an expert committee led by Dr KS Ravindranath, Director of Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences & Research, has urged immediate nationwide measures—including routinefor school children aged 15 and the creation of aThe committee, formed by the Government of Karnataka, was tasked with investigating the growing number of sudden cardiovascular deaths and exploring possible links with Covid-19 infection or vaccination.After extensive review, the findings point not to the pandemic, but to a broader and evolving landscape of traditional and lifestyle-related cardiovascular risk factors.One of the key recommendations is the introduction of routine heart screenings in schools, specifically targeting 10th-grade students or those around 15 years old. These screenings would include clinical evaluations aimed at identifying congenital heart defects, inherited rhythm disorders, structural abnormalities, as well as obesity, hypertension, cholesterol imbalances, and insulin resistance.This call for early screening stems from increasing evidence that cardiovascular problems are surfacing earlier in life, driven by sedentary habits, unhealthy diets, and rising stress among teenagers. The committee believes that early detection and timely intervention could significantly reduce future cardiac events in younger populations.To better understand the nature of these deaths, the committee conducted an observational study of 251 patients under the age of 45 admitted to Jayadeva Hospital between April and May 2025.A large proportion of these individuals showed traditional risk factors—hypertension (40.6%), diabetes (34.7%), dyslipidemia (43.8%), and smoking (44.2%). However, what stood out was that nearly 27% of patients had no identifiable risk factors at all, raising concerns that current diagnostic practices may be missing hidden vulnerabilities.Importantly, the committee found no evidence linking sudden cardiac events to previous Covid-19 infection or vaccination. Contrary to widespread concerns, data from both Indian and international studies suggest that Covid-19 vaccines are actually protective against heart-related complications over time.'The data does not support fears that long Covid or vaccination is behind this trend,' the report states. 'Rather, the rise in cases is better explained by an increase in lifestyle-related risk factors, which worsened during and after the pandemic.'The report emphasises that there is no single cause behind the spike in sudden cardiac deaths.Instead, it highlights a complex mix of genetic, behavioural, and environmental contributors. Although the immediate post-covid period did see a rise in heart-related issues due to inflammation, this effect appears to have tapered off.With sudden cardiac deaths among individuals under 45 continuing to climb over the past four years, the committee's findings have added urgency to preventive strategies, underscoring the need for, public awareness, and long-term health monitoring.
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