Shefali Jariwala, who was popularly known as the 'Kanta Laga girl' has tragically passed away at the age of 42. Though her real cause of her death remains undisclosed, initial reports said, she passed away due to a cardiac arrests. This news not only shocked fans and industry celebs but has also raised concerns about women's health, especially when it comes to heart-related illnesses.
It if often assumed that men are more prone to heart diseases than women but during times like these, it makes you wonder whether its true and why are so many young artists passing away in their prime due to cardiac arrests and heart attacks.
Dr. Ashish Agarwal Designation-Director, Cardiology, Aakash Healthcare said, Both globally and in India, women’s cardiac problems are on the rise,” Dr. Agarwal noted, underscoring that cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death among women, not just Shefali Jariwala, but countless others. Unfortunately, CVDs are now one of the leading causes of death in women, with diseases like heart attacks and cardiac arrests killing 10 times more women than breast cancer. According to 2020 research analysing the National Family Health Survey, 18.69 % of Indian women aged 15-49 have untreated hypertension.
Are women's symptoms of heart disease different than that of men?
Heart attacks are deadlier for women. Women have a higher risk of dying within the first year after a heart attack, partly because symptoms are often missed or untreated.
Dr. Subrat Akhoury, Chairman- Cath Lab & Interventional, Cardiologist and Head (Unit-I), Asian Hospital explained, "Women’s heart attack symptoms often differ from the classic chest pain, they may experience nausea, fatigue, dizziness, or shortness of breath, which can lead to misdiagnosis. Plaque builds up differently in women’s arteries, making diagnosis harder. Stress and emotional health impact women’s heart risks more anxiety and depression can increase heart disease risk but are often overlooked. After menopause, heart disease risk rises sharply. But the good news: most heart disease is preventable. A heart‑healthy lifestyle, regular check‑ups, and paying attention to your body can save lives."
Apart from lifestyle, genetic conditions like hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (thickening of heart muscle), congenital heart defects, arrhythmias (heart beat abnormalities) , and undiagnosed myocarditis can cause sudden cardiac arrest in the young, said Dr. Nihar Mehta, Associate Director, Department of Structural Heart Diseases, Jaslok Hospital & Research Centre.
Cardiac symptoms should not be neglected especially chest discomfort, giddiness or blackout during exercise or fainting spells.
Regular cardiac screening, especially for those with a family history of sudden deaths should be carried out. These test include stress tests, ECGs and 2D echocardiography as baseline tests.
