The rising incidence of cardiovascular diseases in India: Assessing its economic impact

2 • Mitral valve area <1.5 cm or valve area index <0.6 2 2 cm /m Secondary prevention In RHD it is defined as the continuous administration of specific antibiotics to patients with previous attack of rheumatic fever or a well-documented RHD. Prophylaxis in pregnant patients with rheumatic heart disease is same as with the other cases except that oral sulfadiazine or sulfasoxazole are contraindicated in 11 Abstract Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are showing an escalation among the Indian population with a trend of reaching the younger age groups. It is now known to have a major share in the burden of diseases. A number of studies have been conducted time and again to find out the prevalence of CVDs and it has been found that they have a widespread prevalence in India, with regional variations. It is now affecting almost all sections of the society from young to old and most affluent to least affluent. Statistics also show an increased prevalence of CVDs in India as compared to other developing countries. Large scale and widespread incidences show downgrading of the cardiovascular health status of Indians and emergence of CVDs as a chronic manifestation across the population. Future trends predict that in the coming decade CVDs will inflict every section of the population irrespective of age, gender, economic status, and locale. Owing to such a large rate of prevalence, India is set to lose on it is productive population on accounts of CVD mortality and morbidity hampering the advantage of a positive demographic transition. This affects the country's productivity owing to the disease-related economic burden in an otherwise beneficial phase of demographic transition. The need of the