STAR Hospitals Launches Dedicated Heart Failure Clinic in Hyderabad to Tackle India's Rising Cardiac Crisis

HYDERABAD JULY 14 (RNI) STAR Hospitals has launch the STAR Heart Failure Clinic in Hyderabad, an initiative poised to tackle this growing crisis.

The clinic aims to serve not only Telangana and Andhra Pradesh but patients across India, combining world-class care with the urgency of a public health mission.

Over the past five years, heart disease treatment claims have nearly doubled, and sudden cardiac deaths in the region have surged dramatically.

In Telangana alone, 282 deaths were recorded in 2022—most among men in their 30s to 50s. Hyderabad’s rising burden of hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and stress has made it the epicenter of India’s cardiovascular risk and the ideal launchpad for a clinic designed to prevent deaths, improve quality of life, and reduce re-hospitalizations among heart failure patients“India’s heart failure landscape is far more complex and urgent than many realize. Unlike the West, where patients typically present in their 70s, we’re seeing Indians with heart failure nearly a decade earlier often in their 50s and 60s at the peak of their working lives.

Nearly 70% of these patients are men, many of them family breadwinners. The leading causes ischemic heart disease, dilated cardiomyopathy, and rheumatic heart disease are striking younger, harder, and faster. Unfortunately, our in-hospital and one-year mortality rates remain nearly twice as high as global averages.

This is precisely why we’ve launched the STAR Heart Failure Clinic to offer early diagnosis, structured therapy, and long-term care that can dramatically change outcomes for these patients and their families.”

Dr. Gopichand Mannam, Managing Director, STAR Hospitals Group, Hyderabad said Rising Cardiovascular Burden in Telugu States: A Wake-Up Call “In Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, we’ve been witnessing an alarming rise in cardiovascular risk indicators. Health insurance claims for cardiac disease have nearly doubled from 9–12% in 2020 to 18–20% in 2024.

Today, between 30 to 40% of urban adults are either hypertensive or prehypertensive, and obesity now affects almost 1 in 2 women aged 15 to 49.

Add to this the growing burden of workplace stress and sedentary lifestyles—especially in Hyderabad’s IT corridors—and the crisis becomes undeniable.

The STAR Heart Failure Clinic is not just a response, it’s a national imperative.”

Dr. Ramesh Gudapati, Joint Managing Director, STAR Hospitals Group, Hyderabad said Backed by Science, Driven by Hope “Heart failure isn’t a single disease, it’s a spectrum.

It ranges from systolic failure (HFrEF), where the heart’s pumping ability is weakened, to diastolic failure (HFpEF), where the heart becomes stiff and fails to fill properly. We also see right-sided and congestive forms, each with unique causes and treatments.

The critical insight from my years in electrophysiology and interventional cardiology is this: early diagnosis saves lives and quality of life.

When identified promptly in clinics or via screening, patients can begin tailored therapies, lifestyle changes, and device support before irreversible damage sets in.

Evidence shows that timely, accurate diagnosis is the gateway to effective interventions that improve prognosis and reduce hospitalizations.” 

Dr. Jagadeesh Babu Karusala, Sr. Consultant Cardiac Electrophysiologist & Interventional Cardiologist, STAR Hospitals Group said Heart Transplant: A Safe, Life-Restoring Miracle for End-Stage Patients

“For patients with end-stage heart failure, a heart transplant can be nothing short of miraculous—offering a renewed lease on life when all other treatments have failed.

In India, we perform around 90–100 heart transplants annually, yet over 50,000 patients each year need this intervention, and only a tiny fraction receives it.

For those who receive a transplant, the transformation is profound. One-year survival rates soar to 90%, and the average life expectancy post-transplant is approximately 12.5 years. Most patients are able to return to work within 3 to 6 months, and by the end of the first year, many resumes active, fulfilling lives  even going for national and international vacations.

Patients often tell me that post-transplant, it’s as if they’ve been given a second chance—not just to live, but to live well. Their stories of returning to their families, careers, and passions are the most powerful testament to why we strive for better organ donation and transplant infrastructure.”

Dr. Suresh Yerra, Consultant - Advanced Heart Failure & Transplant Cardiologist, STAR Hospitals Group said

, Hyderabad said during the clinic’s launch, heart transplant survivors and chronic heart failure patients shared emotional stories of survival and resilience, underscoring the life-changing impact of timely, structured care. STAR Hospitals’ multi-disciplinary team now aims to lead India’s charge against heart failure, combining clinical excellence with community outreach, education, and early screening programs.