On September 29, 2026, hospitals in Visakhapatnam marked World Heart Day by stressing early detection, preventive heart care and faster treatment for cardiovascular emergencies. Apollo Hospitals launched an advanced cardiac command centre that links a smart ambulance network, tele-ECG services, connected-care devices, telemedicine and an airport medical centre. Through the ambulance network ECG readings and vital signs can be transmitted to specialists en route so medical and cath-lab teams can assess and prepare treatment before patients arrive. Apollo also introduced an AI-based cardiac risk score to estimate an individual’s 10-year cardiovascular disease risk and categorise people as low, moderate or high risk. Cardiologists warned that coronary artery disease and heart attacks are increasingly affecting people in their 30s and 40s; Dr N.K. Panigrahi said a significant proportion of heart attacks occur in people below 45 and urged prevention from a young age. KIMS Hospitals interventional cardiologist Dr Ganesh Kasinadhuni cited abdominal obesity, diabetes, sedentary lifestyles, workplace stress, high refined-carbohydrate diets, smoking, alcohol and genetics as driving earlier disease, and doctors recommended regular monitoring of blood pressure, blood sugar and lipid levels. Organisers said this year’s World Heart Day campaign message is "Don’t Miss a Beat" and described the Visakhapatnam initiatives as part of a shift toward preventive cardiology and technology-assisted emergency care to reduce treatment delays.
