India, Sept. 29 -- Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death globally, taking an estimated 17.9 million lives each year, according to the World Health Organization. Over four out of five CVD-related deaths are due to heart attacks and strokes, and one third of these deaths occur prematurely in people under 70 years of age. The age bar is going lower every year. In India, 1 in 4 men under 40 reportedly experience heart attack, as per the Indian Heart Association. On World Heart Day, three survivors in their 20s, 30s and early 40s recall the warning signs they dismissed and the habits they wish they had changed sooner.

On December 15, 2023, I was riding my bike from Dwarka to Noida when I developed unusual jaw pain. Sin...