Aga Khan University Hospital has launched Pakistan’s first long-term research study to investigate the rising number of heart attacks among young people. The research, titled the “Life Card Study,” will include 4,000 children and young adults from Karachi, Matiari, and rural areas of Sindh to identify the causes behind early-age heart disease.
The study is being led by Saleem Virani, Vice Provost Research and cardiologist at Aga Khan University Hospital. According to Dr. Virani, nearly 15 percent of heart attacks in Pakistan occur in people under the age of 40, making research on youth heart health increasingly important.
He said the study will examine the lifestyle, health, and environmental factors affecting children and adolescents aged 10 to 19 in order to develop effective strategies for preventing heart disease in the future.
Dr. Virani explained that the research will not only focus on traditional risk factors such as diabetes, high blood pressure, smoking, and lack of physical activity, but will also explore the impact of genetics, air pollution, and the use of biomass fuels inside homes.
He said this is the first comprehensive study of its kind in Pakistan, and participants will be monitored for the next 10 to 20 years to better understand how heart disease develops and progresses over time.
Dr. Virani noted that Pakistan is among the countries with the highest rates of diabetes in the world. He added that lack of physical activity, unsafe public spaces, limited walking areas, and worsening air pollution are contributing to the growing risk of heart disease among young people.
He further said Karachi’s air quality often exceeds international safety standards by many times, making pollution a major contributor to cardiovascular diseases.
According to the researchers, improving heart health among young people will require healthier lifestyles, cleaner environments, safer public spaces, and better opportunities for exercise in order to reduce the burden of heart disease in the coming years.
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