What is the Leading Cause of Death in India?

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of deaths in India both across the rural and urban population, according to the World Atlas. This is backed up by data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which identifies heart disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and stroke as the top three killers.

Cardiovascular diseases accounts for 24.8% of deaths in India, followed by respiratory diseases which cause 10.2% of deaths, while malignant and other tumours account for 9.4% of deaths in the population.

As a young boy, Rahul had heard many instances of family members and distant relatives who had died because of cardiovascular diseases, and their families had been unable to afford effective treatment. As a result, by the time he began his first job, he had resolved to get insurance for both his parents made. When he approached a friend for advice regarding insurance policies for his parents, his friend suggested they get critical illness insurance. It was ideal for his parents because of the financial aid it offered in case the policyholder suffered a critical illness.

Along with getting his parents critical illness insurance, Rahul also encouraged them to begin practicing ways of life that could help prevent a critical disease.

Owing to the increased incidences of heart disease, several facts have emerged regarding the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Read on to learn ways to keep the heart healthy and prevent cardiovascular diseases.

1. Keep Blood Pressure in Check:
   High blood pressure has long been identified as a causal factor behind cardiovascular diseases. It is important to keep blood pressure in check by following practices like cooking food with lesser oil or exercising regularly. Everybody should have their blood pressure checked often in order to be able to regulate it, and control it.
2. Control Cholesterol and Triglyceride Levels:
   Cholesterol has long been known to result in clogging of the arteries and resultant coronary artery diseases and heart attacks. It is essential to affect lifestyle changes and even take medication, if required, to prevent cholesterol levels from rising. Triglycerides are another form of fat in the blood, and can increase the risks of coronary artery disease, especially in women.
3. Maintain a Healthy Diet:
   Foods including green vegetables and certain fruits are known to prevent cardiovascular diseases. These foods should be incorporated into regular meals to maintain good health. Eating out at places where a lot of oil is used to cook should be avoided, and nutritious diets are of the utmost importance.
4. Ensure Regular Exercise:
   Exercising regularly has many benefits, including helping maintain a healthy weight and lowering cholesterol and blood pressure levels. It also helps strengthen the heart and improving blood circulation in the body. All of these benefits help prevent cardiovascular diseases, to a great extent.
5. Limit Alcohol and Quit Smoking:
   Drinking a high quantity of alcohol has been studied to increase blood pressure levels as well as lead to weight gain, both of which are causal factors of cardiovascular diseases. Smoking increases the risk of strokes and heart diseases significantly. So now you have reasons to quit smoking.
6. Manage Stress Levels:
   In the fast paced lifestyle of modern times, stress has emerged as one of the leading reasons of cardiovascular diseases. It is important to keep stress levels in check to ensure good health and lower the risk behind heart diseases. Smoking also results in coping through overeating, smoking or heavy drinking - all of which also increase the possibilities of heart disease.
7. Keep Diabetes Under Control:
   High blood sugar levels due to diabetes have been identified to be causing damage to blood vessels and the nerves that control the heart and blood vessels. Diabetes doubles the possibility of suffering from diabetic heart disease. It is necessary for people to get tested for diabetes. If they do have diabetes, it is essential to bring in lifestyle changes and possibly even take medication for easing the condition.
8. Get Enough Sleep:
   A lack of sleep increases risks of high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes - all of which can result in cardiovascular diseases. A minimum of 7 hours’ sleep is essential for living a healthy life and reducing the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Over the years, cardiovascular diseases have emerged to be the leading cause of deaths in India. It is necessary to take preventive measures well in advance by living healthy lives by maintaining healthy diets and getting enough exercise. It is also important to get critical illness insurance, which can help in terms of raising financial resources in case the policyholder suffers from this disease in the future.