Publication:

Hypertension in young adults and exploring its role in sudden cardiac death: expert opinion from India

Hypertension, once considered a disease affecting older adults, is now alarmingly increasing in young Indian adults. Several lifestyle and environmental factors are linked to this sudden increase in hypertension in young adults in both urban and rural settings. However, there is a lack of guideline recommendations and clinical trial data for managing hypertension in young adults and adolescents, leaving clinicians with a lack of recommendation-based treatment for this population. Five focused group discussions including 60 eminent cardiologists from India were conducted to understand their perspectives on the approach to management of hypertension in young adults and whether it is linked to sudden cardiac death (SCD), particularly in those with left ventricular hypertrophy. Prevention of SCD in young adults, risk factors, and challenges in the early diagnosis and management approach for young adults with hypertension were also discussed. This review provides an overview of relevant literature and summarizes the perspectives of Indian experts on the merits of the fixed-dose combination of telmisartan plus bisoprolol that has shown promise in controlling hypertension in young adults.