This World Heart Day, MedGenome, India’s leading genomics-driven diagnostics and research services company announced findings from a customer survey examining awareness and attitudes towards heart health, and a research study exploring polygenic risk for understanding inherited risk of elevated cholesterol.
Aligning with this year’s theme “Don’t Miss a Beat” that calls attention to signs of heart disease that can go unnoticed, the initiative highlights the importance of a comprehensive view of cardiovascular risk bringing out the factor that often receives less attention: genetic susceptibility. Dr. Ramesh Menon, Director, Personal Genomics and Genomic Medicine, MedGenome Labs Ltd., said: “Heart health cannot always be understood through a single number or risk factor. Cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar and lifestyle remain important, but family history and inherited susceptibility can provide deeper insights into a person’s heart health. The validation of a South Asian-specific polygenic risk score adds to the evidence that genetic information can complement conventional assessment and help us better understand why some individuals have elevated LDL cholesterol despite the absence of an identifiable rare genetic variant.”
The findings come against a backdrop of significant lipid-health challenges in India. The 2026 ICMR-INDIAB national study, published in the Journal of Clinical Lipidology, found that dyslipidemia affects nearly 9 in 10 Indian adults. Having said that, genetic factors, including polygenic risk scores (PRS), can serve as additional risk modifiers that complement conventional cardiovascular risk assessment. The Lipid Association of India has also recognized genetic predisposition and PRS within the broader framework of cardiovascular risk modifiers, supporting a more comprehensive approach to understanding an individual’s inherited and overall cardiovascular risk.
