Top Cardiologists Warn of Rising Obesity & Heart Failure in Indian Women, Urge Urgent Reforms

By: WE Staff | Tuesday, 13 May 2025

• India's leading cardiologists and health professionals sounded the alarm over an unfolding crisis in women's health 

• Women's heart failure and obesity are increasing with alarming national trends 

India's top cardiologists and medical experts raised an alarm about a fast-developing crisis: the increasing incidence of obesity and heart failure in women. During the National Conference on Obesity and Heart Failure in Women in New Delhi, they urged the country to implement immediate reforms in prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, stressing the importance of gender-based solutions in cardiac care. 

The conference, organized by IMA NDB with AACIO, ISCU, WHA, and the Healthy Heart Society, and academically sponsored by IPCA Laboratories, saw gathering of leading medical experts and policymakers. It was addressed by Delhi Chief Minister Ms. Rekha Gupta and Health Minister Dr. Pankaj Kumar Singh. One of the most memorable moments of the conference was the felicitation of 400 women doctors for their outstanding contributions to the field of medicine—a historic recognition of the contribution of women in medicine. 

Important observations and suggestions made at the conference will be consolidated into a National Consensus on Obesity and Heart Failure in Women, to be published in the Journal of the Association of Physicians of India (JAPI). The report is intended to be a roadmap for evidence-based, gender-sensitive changes in cardiovascular treatment throughout the country. 

The event also witnessed the release of the IMA NDB Innovation Year Book 2025, highlighting innovative work in cardiometabolic health and presenting innovative models for prevention and treatment. Speaking on the occasion, Dr. H.K. Chopra, National Organising Chairman and Chief Scientific Advisor, IMA NDB, said, 

"Women's obesity is not only a lifestyle problem—it is the most under-appreciated cardiovascular risk factor. More than 41 percent of Indian women are obese, and this directly causes heart failure, strokes, and sudden cardiac death. We require diagnostics and therapies specifically designed for the female physiology, not derived from male norms." 

Dr. Viveka Kumar, Vice Chairman & Chief of Cath Labs (Pan Max), stated, 

More women are coming in with severe heart dysfunction associated with obesity, many times without the usual symptoms. Women are particularly susceptible to HFpEF (Heart Failure with Preserved Ejection Fraction), but this is commonly overlooked because of diagnostic blind spots. We need to create new clinical pathways and implement early, community-level screening tailored to women." 

Dr. Vanita Arora, India's first female electrophysiologist, also added, "Obesity disturbs mechanical as well as electrical functions of the heart, particularly in women during periods of hormonal change, heightening the risk of arrhythmias. Preventive screening for such rhythm disorders must become part of routine practice and not an afterthought." 

Chairman of Cardiology at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital Dr. J.P.S. Sawhney underscored, 

Women's heart failure is underappreciated due to the majority of clinical practice guidelines being developed from studies enrolling few women. Systematic bias in healthcare slows down the care and hurts the outcomes. India needs to initiate the shift towards gender-inclusive, cardiology-sensitive heart care globally.