India Pharma Outlook Team | Thursday, 26 February 2026
Mahajan Imaging & Labs has reported a significant 85% year-on-year increase in Calcium Scoring CT scans from 2024 to 2025, alongside a 36% rise in advanced cardiac imaging volumes.
The sharp rise reflects increasing awareness around preventive cardiology and the growing adoption of early risk assessment tools, including among younger individuals. Against this backdrop, the institution hosted a virtual conference titled “Young Hearts at Risk: The Case for Early Cardiac Screening,” where experts examined the shifting age profile of cardiovascular disease and underscored the importance of structured early screening.
National data further underscores the urgency, with over 25% of heart attacks in India now occurring in individuals under 40 and nearly 15–20% of sudden cardiac arrests reported in those below 50. Indians are known to develop coronary artery disease nearly a decade earlier than Western populations, driven by diabetes, hypertension, obesity, chronic stress, sedentary lifestyles and dyslipidemia.
The session featured Dr. Harsh Mahajan (Padma Shri), Mentor, FICCI Health Sector & Founder and Chairman, Mahajan Imaging & Labs; Dr. Praveen Chandra (Padma Shri), Chairman, Interventional Cardiology at Medanta; and Dr. Shoma Mukerjee, Sr. Consultant & Head of Department at Mahajan Imaging & Labs, Dwarka.
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Speaking at the conference, Dr. Praveen Chandra said, “In younger patients, the first manifestation of coronary artery disease is often an acute event. By the time symptoms appear, significant arterial blockage may already be present. Early risk stratification through non-invasive diagnostics such as CT Coronary Angiography, calcium scoring, stress imaging and biomarker assessment enables timely intervention and significantly reduces long-term myocardial damage. Structured screening in high-risk individuals can change the trajectory of heart disease.”
Dr. Harsh Mahajan added, “The 85% rise in Calcium Scoring CT is largely driven by increased awareness about the importance of preventive medicine. CT calcium scoring is extremely useful in predicting the future possibility of heart disease, even before symptoms appear. Cardiovascular disease in India is clearly shifting toward younger age groups. The real opportunity lies in pre-symptomatic detection. Modalities such as Calcium Scoring CT, CT Coronary Angiography and Cardiac MRI allow us to identify plaque burden and vascular changes well before a catastrophic event. Preventive cardiology must move from opportunistic testing to protocol-driven early screening integrated into routine health evaluation.”
Experts highlighted that Calcium Scoring CT plays a critical role in quantifying coronary artery calcification, an early marker of atherosclerosis enabling accurate risk stratification even in asymptomatic individuals.
Recent internal trends also indicate a notable rise in preventive cardiac investigations, including ECGs, stress echocardiography and treadmill testing. Importantly, approximately 20–21% of individuals who underwent cholesterol testing were found to have abnormal lipid levels, underscoring the significant burden of dyslipidemia even among those opting for preventive health checks.
A substantial proportion of coronary artery disease in younger individuals remains clinically silent. Subclinical plaque build-up, endothelial dysfunction and early myocardial changes often go undetected during routine check-ups, particularly in individuals with diabetes, hypertension, obesity, high stress exposure or a family history of premature heart disease.
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Early testing leads to earlier diagnosis of coronary artery disease so that lifestyle and dietary changes and medication, where necessary, may be initiated to prevent further advancement of disease and enable possible reversal. Prior knowledge about narrowing in the blood vessels of the heart and fatty deposits, as demonstrated by CT-based imaging even in asymptomatic individuals, sensitises people to seek immediate medical attention even when symptoms appear minor. In heart attacks, time is of the essence even minutes matter. Reaching the hospital in time can mean the difference between life and serious adverse consequences.
Adding a clinical perspective, Dr. Shoma Mukerjee said, “A large proportion of young individuals with underlying atherosclerotic disease remain asymptomatic. Targeted screening for individuals with metabolic risk factors or family history enables early therapeutic correction through medical management and lifestyle modification. Early evaluation significantly alters long-term cardiovascular outcomes.”
The webinar concluded with a call to integrate advanced cardiac diagnostics into routine preventive healthcare pathways, particularly for high-risk individuals. Mahajan Imaging & Labs reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening early detection frameworks and expanding access to precision cardiac imaging to address the rising cardiovascular burden among young Indians.
