Diabetes and hypertension cases have increased by 68% and 28% in government hospitals in 2013-14

In the last year alone, diabetes and hypertension cases increased by 68 and 28 per cent respectively in state and municipal hospitals. 

The upward trend has been particularly dangerous with diabetes, which experts are calling the next trending disease. The disease has risen by a whopping 16,838 cases in just one year, escalating from 24,945 in 2012-13 to 41,873 in 2013-14. The disease had remained relatively stable with 21,264 cases in 2011-12 to 24,945 cases in 2012-13 to a rise by 41,873 cases, or 68 per cent, last year.

“The figures are undoubtedly much more than what has been specified as these are just from government hospitals,” said Dr Sudhindra Kulkarni, an endocrinologist at Fortis Hospital Mulund.

One out of every 522 persons had diabetes in 2008-09. This declined to one in 470 in 2010-11, and improved in 2011-12 to one in every 585. Last year, one in 297 persons suffered from the disease.“Reasons of diabetes are very limited and a stressful and unhealthy lifestyle is one of the most important factors for the type 2 diabetes. Consumption of fatty products, lack of exercise and physical activity is one of the most basic and common reasons of increasing diabetes and hypertension,” said Dr Kulkarni.

“Over 95 per cent of obesity cases I see are linked to diabetes and hypertension. Due to consumption of fatty food, there is accumulation of fat in the wall of blood vessels which narrows down the surface area from which blood passes. This exerts pressure on heart, increasing hypertension,” said Dr Manish Motwani, a bariatic surgeon from Aastha Healthcare. 

The figures for hypertension, which were constant for the last five years have shown a sudden increase in the general population. While in 2012-13, over 28,724 people were suffering from hypertension, in 2013-14 the figure has risen by 8,359, tallying 36,696 cases.

While the figures had fallen in last two years from highest of 38,338 in 2009-10 to 25,518 in 2010-11 again rising to 28,724 in 2012-13, the disease has shown drastic and sudden rise in 2012-13 with cases reaching above 35,000. 

According to figures, one out of every 439 persons had hypertension in 2008-09. It declined to one in 324 in 2010-11. Though it improved to one in every 488 in 2011-12, it has now again declined to one in every 339 for 2013-14.