India's Silent Epidemic: STAR Hospitals Launch Dedicated Heart Failure Clinic to Battle 8-10 million Cases Nationwide

VMPL
Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], July 17: With India witnessing a quiet explosion in heart failure cases, many striking working-age adults, STAR Hospitals has launched the STAR Heart Failure Clinic in Hyderabad, an initiative poised to tackle this growing crisis. The clinic aims to serve not only Telangana and Andhra Pradesh but also patients across India, combining world-class care with the urgency of a public health mission.
Over the past five years, heart disease treatment claims have nearly doubled, and sudden cardiac deaths in the region have surged dramatically. In Telangana alone, 282 deaths were recorded in 2022; most among men in their 30s to 50s. Hyderabad's rising burden of hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and stress has made it the epicenter of India's cardiovascular risk and the ideal launchpad for a clinic designed to prevent deaths, improve quality of life, and reduce re-hospitalizations among heart failure patients.
STAR Heart Failure Clinic: A Lifesaving, Life-Changing Hub for India
With an estimated 8-10 million Indians currently living with heart failure and up to 1.8 million new cases each year, the need for specialized, integrated care is critical.
The STAR Heart Failure Clinic will provide:
* Comprehensive diagnostics and risk stratification
* Guideline-Directed Medical Therapy (GDMT) with proven survival benefits
* Daycare infusion, cardiac rehab, and lifestyle support
* Evaluation for advanced therapy such as Heart Transplant & LVAD - Left Ventricular Assist Devices
* Long-term follow-up to prevent relapses and hospitalizations
Most importantly, the clinic aims to bridge a massive care gap; national data shows that only 25-47% of Indian patients currently receive guideline-recommended heart failure therapies, despite their ability to reduce mortality by up to 60%.
A Hyderabad-Driven Solution to a National Crisis
"India's heart failure landscape is far more complex and urgent than many realize. Unlike the West, where patients typically present in their 70s, we're seeing Indians with heart failure nearly a decade earlier, often in their 50s and 60s at the peak of their working lives.
Nearly 70% of these patients are men, many of them family breadwinners. The leading causes--ischemic heart disease, dilated cardiomyopathy, and rheumatic heart disease are striking younger, harder, and faster. Unfortunately, our in-hospital and one-year mortality rates remain nearly twice as high as the global averages. This is precisely why we've launched the STAR Heart Failure Clinic, to offer early diagnosis, structured therapy, and long-term care that can dramatically change outcomes for these patients and their families."-- Dr. Gopichand Mannam, Managing Director, STAR Hospitals Group, Hyderabad.

A Silent Crisis: Heart Failure Gripping Younger Indians:
Heart failure is emerging as a major public health challenge in India, driven by rising prevalence of coronary artery disease, hypertension, diabetes, and increasing life expectancy. Unlike in the West, heart failure in India often affects younger patients, leading to significant socio-economic impact. The disease burden is compounded by late diagnosis, suboptimal treatment, and lack of follow-up care. This underscores the urgent need for dedicated heart failure clinics that offer comprehensive, guideline-directed management, multidisciplinary care, patient education, and structured follow-up -- all critical to improving outcomes, reducing hospitalizations, and enhancing quality of life for Indian heart failure patients"-- Dr. Ramesh Gudapati, Joint Managing Director, STAR Hospitals Group, Hyderabad.
Backed by Science, Driven by Hope
"Heart failure isn't a single disease; it's a spectrum. It ranges from systolic failure (HFrEF), where the heart's pumping ability is weakened, to diastolic failure (HFpEF), where the heart becomes stiff and fails to fill properly. We also see right-sided and congestive forms, each with unique causes and treatments. The critical insight from my years in electrophysiology and interventional cardiology is this: early diagnosis saves lives and improves quality of life. When identified promptly in clinics or through screening, patients can begin tailored therapies, lifestyle changes, and device support before irreversible damage occurs. Evidence shows that timely, accurate diagnosis is the gateway to effective interventions that improve prognosis and reduce hospitalizations."-- Dr. Jagadeesh Babu Karusala, Sr. Consultant Cardiac Electrophysiologist & Interventional Cardiologist, STAR Hospitals Group
Heart Transplant: A Safe, Life-Restoring Miracle for End-Stage Patients
"For patients with end-stage heart failure, a heart transplant can be nothing short of miraculous, offering a renewed lease on life when all other treatments have failed.
In India, we perform around 90-100 heart transplants annually, yet over 50,000 patients each year need this intervention, and only a tiny fraction receive it.
For those who receive a transplant, the transformation is profound. One-year survival rates reach 90%, and the average life expectancy after transplant is approximately 12.5 years. Most patients can return to work within 3 to 6 months, and by the end of the first year, many resume active, fulfilling lives, even going for national and international vacations.
Patients often tell me that post-transplant, it's as if they've been given a second chance, not just to live, but to live well. Their stories of returning to their families, careers, and passions are the most powerful testament to why we strive for better organ donation and transplant infrastructure."-- Dr. Suresh Yerra, Consultant - Advanced Heart Failure & Transplant Cardiologist, STAR Hospitals Group, Hyderabad.
During the clinic's launch, heart transplant survivors and chronic heart failure patients shared emotional stories of survival and resilience, underscoring the life-changing impact of timely, structured care. STAR Hospital's multidisciplinary team now aims to lead India's charge against heart failure, combining clinical excellence with community outreach, education, and early screening programs.
STAR Heart Failure Clinic A chance to intervene early, save lives, and build a model that can be replicated across India.
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