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Not only classic markers like cholesterol, people are seeking higher cutting-edge diagnostics for advanced markers of heart risk like homocysteine and lipoprotein
There is widespread concern over deaths caused by cardiac arrest and heart attacks after the Covid-19 pandemic. (Image: AFP/File)
Lipid profile, heart health and fitness screening – these are some new words many Indians added to their vocabulary in 2024. Not just cholesterol, people are moving beyond to understand the advanced markers of heart risk like homocysteine and lipoprotein.
This change was triggered due to widespread concerns over deaths caused by cardiac arrest and heart attacks, post the Covid-19 pandemic. In the last two years, Indians have seen multiple celebrities such as Kannada superstar Puneeth Rajkumar, actor Sidharth Shukla, singer KK, Bollywood actor Satish Kaushik and comedian Raju Srivastava lost to deadly heart attacks.
While the trend was unfortunate, there is a silver lining. Many Indians – young, middle-aged, and elderly – have embraced the concept of preventive health, particularly when it comes to heart health.
People are reaching out to doctors and dieticians with an open-minded approach to inducing healthy changes in life, such as cooking more at home and ditching fried or ultra-processed food. In fact, cardiologists have noticed a growing willingness to undergo regular heart screenings and make efforts to walk more steps.
Experts told News18 that for the first time, patients are asking “how can I prevent future risk” instead of waiting for symptoms to appear.
The trend aligns with the data reported by several diagnostic chains. Top laboratories, including Metropolis, Dr Lal Path Labs and 1MG, have noticed a similar trend where they believe that the healthcare landscape is experiencing a “significant transformation”.
‘LIFE IS FRAGILE’: DOCTORS NOTICING CHANGE
By now, it is clear that for many, the post-Covid time has served as a wake-up call.
‘How to include protein in my daily meals’, or ‘What changes will suit my lifestyle’ are top questions that Dr Shruti K Bhardwaj, chief clinical nutritionist at Zydus Hospitals in Ahmedabad, has encountered from her clients.
“Now people are coming to me and asking logical questions, unlike before when they were too adamant to change their diet or routine,” Dr Bhardwaj said, calling it a “remarkable shift” that is no longer driven by fad diets but by sustainable and balanced nutrition.
“The intent to improve is stronger than ever,” she said, while counting the top five changes that she noticed last year.
This includes families cooking more at home, reduced reliance on ultra-processed foods, awareness of micronutrient deficiencies, better hydration habits, and a focus on immunity through whole foods.
Similarly, Dr Satish L, consultant cardiologist at Bengaluru-based SPARSH Hospital, has noticed three significant changes in his patients.
“The willingness to get regular heart screenings, genuine efforts to stay physically active, and an increasing focus on stress management. For the first time, patients are asking, ‘How can I prevent future risks?’ instead of waiting for symptoms,” Dr Satish said, adding that this proactive mindset is “encouraging” and the pandemic’s grim reality made people realise “how fragile life is”.
“It ignited a sense of responsibility to lead a healthier lifestyle – not just for themselves but for their families. People now value the importance of good diet, exercise, and medical check-ups, understanding that small steps today can prevent major crises tomorrow,” Dr Satish added.
DIAGNOSTIC LABS WITNESSING THE CHANGE
According to Surendran Chemmenkotil, CEO, Metropolis healthcare: “Post-Covid, people are prioritising their health more than ever, driving the preventive healthcare sector to an estimated US$197 billion by 2025, growing at a strong CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of 22%.”
This growth is fuelled by increased awareness, a growing elderly population, rising prevalence of lifestyle diseases, and a shift toward early detection. These trends reflect changing consumer behaviour, stressing on the importance of addressing health concerns early.
At Metropolis, he said, the shift was clearly evident. “Between 2019 and 2022, revenue from the wellness segment accounted for 7% to 8% of total revenues. This share doubled to 14% to 16% between 2023 and 2024, driven by the growing demand for preventive health check-ups,” he added.
The company’s data shows that between FY23 and FY24, revenue from wellness packages grew by 23 per cent. Similarly, the demand for cardiac diagnostics, such as lipid profiles, has surged reflecting an increased focus on heart health and preventive care.
Other labs across India have noticed a similar trend.
“The Covid-19 pandemic has changed how people view their health,” said Shankha Banerjee, CEO, Dr Lal PathLabs.
Banerjee said the company observed a significant rise in demand for health check-ups, particularly those that include cardiac profiling tests and lipid profile assessments. “This growing interest in preventive care is reflected in the strong performance of Dr Lal PathLabs’ SwasthFit™ portfolio, which has seen a 25% growth in the last year and a 30% CAGR over the past three years,” he said.
The company’s lipid profile assessments, for instance, have seen more than 25 per cent growth in the last two years, highlighting the growing awareness around heart health. “The demand for preventive care is expected to continue rising,” he added.
Not just classic tests, people are opting for advanced markers. “There is a clear trend of evolved health consumers seeking the higher cutting-edge diagnostics for wellness – advanced markers for cardiac health like HsCRP, homocysteine, apolipoprotein A/B, lipoprotein etc are seeing increasing demand, and also early screening/markers for conditions like cancer are gaining greater traction,” said Prashant Tandon, CEO of 1MG.
HsCRP reflects the risk of heart attack and stroke whereas elevated homocysteine levels indicate risks for dementia, heart disease and stroke. Similarly, apolipoprotein also indicates the level of risk of developing cardiac illness and lipoprotein highlights the chances of developing blood vessel disease.
“Tests around basic and general wellness (diabetes, cardiac, liver and kidney function tests, thyroid etc) are being conducted by consumers much more regularly than earlier, though still there is a long way to go,” Tandon said, adding that higher employee and insurance participation will push the market forward.
In short, the pandemic has reminded people that ‘Health is wealth’ and the sudden rise in heart issues made people understand that prevention is better than cure. This awareness has made more people seek professional help – be it a dietician or a doctor – and prioritise regular health check-ups.