by Arushi Bhatnagar

Arushi is a  Clinical Research Coordinator with Massachusetts General Hospital, and she is focused on better understanding why South Asians have elevated risk of heart disease.   Look for an opportunity to meet her  team and learn more at many of our programs  coming up. 

Did you know that South Asians are at an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease ?

South Asians are at an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease (2-4x more compared to the general population), but research to explain this disparity is limited in size and diversity. Much of the research that exists attributes the increased risk to lifestyle and diet. However, healthy, younger South Asians are being diagnosed with diabetes and hypertension at much earlier ages – this gives us reason to suspect that there is a genetic basis to the problem.

The OurHealth study is led by cardiologists and genetic researchers at the Massachusetts General Hospital, Stanford, the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, and Yale who are dedicated to discovering the underlying lifestyle and genetic factors for cardiovascular disease risk in South Asian populations.

Participation in the study involves completion of a few online surveys that detail your personal health history, family health history, and lifestyle. Upon completion of these surveys, you’ll be asked to submit a saliva sample for genetic sequencing. Your data will always be protected and secure in accordance with Institutional Review Board-approved guidelines.

To learn more about the study or become a participant, please visit www.ourhealthstudy.org. If you have any questions, please feel free to email ourhealthstudy@mgb.org or call 617-724-1240.

OurHealth will be at upcoming ISW Programs - including the DIwali Cultural program.