Heart disease remains a significant health challenge for the South Asian community, a disparity that was at the center of Tuesday night’s Community Conversations on South Asian Heart Health, a monthly webinar hosted by the American Heart Association in Greater Boston.
Dr. Pradeep Natarajan, director of preventive cardiology at Massachusetts General Hospital and a Harvard Medical School associate professor, led the discussion, outlining strategies to prevent heart disease through lifestyle changes, early detection, and targeted medical interventions.
South Asians are at heightened risk for heart disease due to unique genetic predispositions and metabolic factors, including elevated levels of triglycerides and insulin resistance.
“These risk factors require us to tailor our prevention strategies,” Dr. Natarajan explained.
He underscored the importance of addressing high LDL cholesterol—dubbed the “cornerstone of cardiovascular prevention”—using both dietary approaches and medications like statins.
The session also delved into hypertension and diabetes, common among South Asians, and their impact on heart health. Dr. Natarajan provided practical tips for monitoring and managing these conditions, including the use of blood pressure cuffs at home and early diabetes screenings.
Dr. Natarajan also highlighted the critical role of lifestyle changes in reducing cardiovascular risk, urging attendees to meet exercise goals of at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity weekly, complementing this with strength training. He emphasized that even small improvements in diet, exercise, and sleep could yield significant benefits, and encouraged South Asians to participate in clinical trials to help expand knowledge about their unique health needs.
The next webinar in the series will focus on nutrition and will feature Dr. Supriya Rao, a leading expert in dietary strategies for cardiovascular health who serves as director of medical weight loss at Lowell General Hospital and managing partner at Integrated Gastroenterology Consultants. The session is scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 28, at 7 p.m. Click here to register.
Watch the December webinar below: