Cincinnati (June 13, 2022) As with other populations, cardiovascular disease is the #1 killer of South Asians, but within this population a heart attack, stroke, or other cardiovascular complication strikes 10 years earlier, with greater force, and with significantly lower chances of recovery and survival. This group represents 25 percent of the world’s people and 60 percent of all patients with cardiovascular disease.
And they are the fastest growing ethnic population in the world—and in the Tri-state.
With the launch of its South Asian Cardiovascular Clinic (SACC) last year, The Christ Hospital established the critical resources necessary to inform this largely unaware population, and for the SACC physicians, this approach is all about education.
“As cardiologists, we can certainly address cardiovascular disease by placing stents and performing bypass surgery and catheter treatments. But our priority is educating this population in prevention, rather than building up a practice to treat the results,” said Santosh G. Menon, MD, FACC, Director of the SACC and Program Director of the Adult Cardiology Fellowship Program at The Christ Hospital. “We designed the center’s services to complement an individual’s existing care—not to replace it.”
Dr. Menon explained that although South Asians present with elevated risk factors for heart disease, they are a largely underserved community.
“Cardiovascular disease is an epidemic just waiting to happen for South Asians who live here, and they don’t know about it and neither do their physicians,” he said. “We are working to change that.”
Ankit K. Bhatia, MD, FACC, Advanced Heart Failure & Transplant Cardiologist, who joins Dr. Menon at the SACC, also seeks to educate patients about their unique risk factors and to, ultimately, save lives. “South Asian ancestors ate a high carbohydrate diet, but they walked extensively and were very active,” he noted. But US-based populations face urbanization and greater access to fast food. “The high carbohydrate diet, sedentary lifestyles, and high glycemic index foods all contribute to elevated blood sugar—and this causes fats to be stored around the internal organs.”
To complicate matters further, South Asians also often appear trim and will fall outside obesity guidelines or risk factors based on standard BMI [body mass index] data. “You’ve got to look at the waist to hip ratio for South Asians,” said Dr. Bhatia. “This more accurately will indicate any fat deposits on their internal organs.”
As with many cultures, traditional foods and food preparation are part of the risk factors. Both cardiologists agree that South Asians respond better to a respectful appreciation of the cultural importance of food. “We understand, believe me,” said Dr. Menon. “We share the same heritage and eat many of the same foods.” He explained that he encourages minor changes in day-to-day choices, such as replacing ghee and coconut oils with olive oils and roasting rather than frying vegetables to significantly impact their heart health.
In addition to a respectful approach to patients’ cultural needs, Dr. Menon and his colleagues focus on the accessibility of their services. Since The Christ Hospital’s main campus in Auburn is farther than his patients wish to travel, the SACC established clinics in Montgomery and in Liberty. The team is also reaching members of this fast-growing ethnic group by offering outreach programs and partnering with physicians, organizations, and employers across the region. Most recently, the SACC held free cardiovascular clinics at the Sikh temple in Mason and another in West Chester.
“These events went extremely well, and we are planning on several more,” said Dr. Menon. “We just want to empower individuals by educating them about their health, what to ask their doctor, and how to take better care of themselves.”
About The Christ Hospital Health Network
The Christ Hospital Health Network is an acute care hospital located in Mt. Auburn, with a remote hospital location in Liberty Township, five ambulatory outpatient centers, and dozens of offices conveniently located throughout the region. More than 1,300 talented physicians and more than 6,000 dedicated team members support the Network. Its mission is to improve the health of the community and to create patient value by providing exceptional outcomes and the finest experiences, all in an affordable way. The Network has been recognized by U.S. News & World Report—for the seventh consecutive year as the #1 hospital in Greater Cincinnati for cardiology and heart surgery—and awarded Healthgrades “America’s 50 Best Hospitals” for being in the top 1% in the nation for providing the highest clinical quality year after year. It is also a Press Ganey Guardian of Excellence Award recipient, which recognizes top-performing healthcare organizations that achieve the 95th percentile or above for performance in patient experience. The Christ Hospital is among a select number of hospitals in the nation to be awarded Magnet® recognition for nursing excellence. For more than 130 years, The Christ Hospital has provided compassionate care to those it serves.