Both parties will attempt to delve deeper into the causes associated with cardiovascular risk in diabetic and prediabetic South Asians
Apollo Hospitals has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Stanford University for the Stanford South Asian Translational Heart Initiative (SAATHI) related to South Asians and chronic disease. Together, both parties will attempt to delve deeper into the causes associated with cardiovascular risk in diabetic and prediabetic South Asians. The MoU is the first step towards a long-term partnership that will develop and grow over time.
Conceptualised with the overall objective to reduce cardiovascular mortality in South Asians, the study will capture data on prediabetes and insulin resistance, help physicians understand early patterns of glycemic imbalance, help them understand epigenetic impact on genetically similar populations, and achieve targeted lifestyle and medical therapy. Reportedly, the collaboration will at a later stage look at moving towards a larger Framingham type study that was developed with the objective of identifying common factors or characteristics contributing to chronic vascular diseases in Massachusetts.
Studies have indicated that South Asians have four times higher rate of myocardial infraction (MI) and 40 per cent higher rate of mortality after first MI. A WHO report states that there could be over 100 million diabetics by 2030 and South Asians will have 60 per cent higher diabetes (DM) rates in US.
Both the organisations are driven by the same objective of strengthening and broadening research on non communicable diseases (NCDs), while also promoting the need for healthy living.