Hyderabad hospitals marked World Heart Day on Tuesday with a series of awareness drives, fitness activities, screening initiatives and new cardiac care services, with cardiologists stressing the need for prevention, early detection and timely treatment of heart disease.

Yashoda Hospitals organised a ‘1 Minute Heart Challenge’ at multiple locations across Hyderabad and all four units of the hospital. Thousands of people from different age groups participated in activities such as treadmill running, stationary cycling, skipping, push-ups and other exercises.

Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president B. Mahesh Kumar Goud and Hyderabad City Police Commissioner V.C. Sajjanar also participated in the initiative. “Even a few minutes of meaningful physical activity can make a difference when incorporated consistently into our daily routine,” said Yashoda Hospitals director Pavan Gorukanti.

Medicover Hospital marked the day by launching a specialised Valve Clinic under the leadership of senior consultant interventional cardiologist Sharath Reddy Annam. The clinic was inaugurated by Vikram Singh Mann, director general of Telangana Fire Services Department. It will provide specialised evaluation and treatment planning for patients with heart valve disorders, including structural heart interventions such as TAVI and TAVR.

At Kamineni Hospitals, cardiologists highlighted the fact that cardiovascular disease can affect younger adults and may not always present as severe chest pain. The hospital said it had recorded 2,287 cardiac procedures during the past year, including 175 procedures involving patients below 40 years of age.

At Renova Hospital, doctors, nurses and paramedical staff participated in a 3-km walkathon from Bapu Ghat to Dargah in Langar Houz. Participants carried placards highlighting heart disease prevention, healthy lifestyle practices and the importance of regular health check-ups.

Care Hospitals organised awareness walks under the ‘Time to Break Up’ campaign. The campaign called on people to break away from habits associated with cardiovascular risk, including smoking, unhealthy food, prolonged sitting, physical inactivity, poor sleep, unmanaged stress and skipping health check-ups.

Star Hospitals adopted a more unconventional approach at Nanakramguda Circle, where it staged a symbolic ‘Heart Dharna’ with the support of the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority. Life-sized heart cutouts were installed at the busy junction holding placards that called for daily physical activity, reduced salt intake, regular blood pressure monitoring, avoiding smoking, stress management, better sleep and learning CPR.

At Sri Sri Holistic Hospitals in Kondapur, nearly 200 cyclists took part in a 10-km cyclothon organised in partnership with cycling community Bike-O-Holics. The hospital also offered free CT Coronary Artery Calcium Score screening and cardiology consultation to 1,000 eligible residents aged 40 and above.