World Heart Day 2026: Don’t Miss a Beat When Your Heart Is Trying to Tell You Something

Health Tips 23 Sep 2026

In the WHO South-East Asia Region, eight people die from cardiovascular diseases every minute. Around half of these deaths happen before the age of 70.

This is the public health focus behind World Heart Day 2026, observed on 29 September. The campaign message, “Don’t Miss a Beat,” encourages people to recognise possible heart disease symptoms, understand their risk and seek timely care.

But awareness should lead to action. Ask yourself:

Do you know your blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels?
Are you ignoring breathlessness, unusual tiredness or chest discomfort?
Have you been advised to undergo a heart test but keep postponing it?

Paying attention to these warning signs and getting the right heart tests when needed can help identify potential problems before they become serious.

Heart Disease Does Not Always Begin Suddenly

Many people think of heart disease as something that happens suddenly with chest pain.. It does not always start like that. Some people first notice they are having trouble breathing when they climb stairs. Others may feel very tired, have a heartbeat or feel dizzy for short periods.. Some people don’t have any obvious signs at all.

Conditions like blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes can go unnoticed for years. A person might feel fine even as these conditions slowly damage the heart and blood vessels over time.

That is why awareness should not just be about knowing what a heart attack looks like. It must also include health checks acting early when problems appear and learning more about the risks to the cardiovascular system.

The Risks Are Known

Possible heart disease symptoms may include:

Pressure, heaviness, tightness or discomfort in the chest.
Breathlessness during activity or at rest.
Unusual tiredness that does not improve with rest.
A fast, irregular or forceful heartbeat.
Dizziness or light-headedness.
Fainting or nearly fainting.
Discomfort spreading to the arm, shoulder, back, neck or jaw.
Nausea or cold sweating along with chest discomfort.
Getting tired during activities that were earlier easy.

These symptoms do not always mean heart disease. Acidity, anxiety, anaemia, muscle strain and lung conditions can also cause similar complaints.

Still, new or repeated symptoms should not be ignored. A doctor can assess the symptoms and decide whether a cardiac evaluation is needed.

When Chest Discomfort Needs Urgent Care

Do not wait for a routine heart checkup if chest discomfort is sudden, severe or does not settle within a few minutes.

Seek urgent medical help if it occurs with:

Breathlessness.
Cold sweating.
Severe weakness.
Fainting or serious dizziness.
Nausea or vomiting.
Pain spreading to the arm, back, neck or jaw.

Do not assume that unusual chest discomfort is only gas or acidity. A heart attack may feel like pressure, squeezing, fullness or heaviness instead of sharp pain.

Some Heart Risks Have No Clear Symptoms

Not every cardiovascular problem gives an immediate warning.

A person may have high blood pressure, high blood sugar or high cholesterol without any obvious symptoms. Tobacco use, excess alcohol, lack of physical activity, unhealthy food and family history can increase the risk further.

The common cardiovascular risk factors include:

High blood pressure.
Diabetes or high blood sugar.
High cholesterol.
Tobacco use.
Excess alcohol consumption.
Physical inactivity.
Diet high in salt and unhealthy fats.
Excess weight.
Family history of heart disease.
Increasing age.

You may feel perfectly normal and still have one or more of these risks.

That is why regular blood pressure checks and blood tests are important, especially if you have diabetes, high BP, high cholesterol or a family history of heart disease.

Which Heart Tests May a Doctor Recommend?

Different heart tests check different parts of the heart. The right test depends on the person’s symptoms, medical history and risk factors.

ECG

An ECG, or electrocardiogram, records the electrical activity and rhythm of the heart.

It can help assess the heart rate and identify certain rhythm changes. It is a short test, so it may not capture an irregular heartbeat that occurs only occasionally.

Echocardiogram

An echocardiogram uses ultrasound to look at the heart’s structure and function.

It helps doctors assess the heart chambers, valves, muscle movement and pumping action. An ECG and an echocardiogram are not the same. An ECG looks mainly at electrical activity, while an echocardiogram shows how the heart is built and how it moves.

TMT or Treadmill Test

A TMT, also called a treadmill test, checks how the heart responds when physical activity gradually increases.

A person walks on a treadmill while the heart rate, rhythm and other readings are monitored. A doctor may recommend this test when symptoms occur during exertion or when the heart’s response to exercise needs to be assessed.

A TMT is not required for everyone.

Holter Monitoring

A Holter monitor records the heart rhythm continuously for a longer period while the person follows their usual routine.

It can be useful when palpitations, dizziness or irregular heartbeats come and go. A short ECG may be normal if the rhythm change does not happen during the test. Holter monitoring gives the doctor a longer record to review.

Stress Echocardiography

Stress echocardiography combines controlled stress with an echocardiogram.

The doctor observes how the heart muscle moves while the heart is working harder. Some changes may be seen during stress even when the heart looks normal at rest.

Dobutamine Stress Echocardiography

In Dobutamine Stress Echocardiography, dobutamine is used under medical supervision to make the heart work harder.

It may be recommended when a person cannot exercise properly or when a regular exercise-based test is not suitable. Echocardiographic images are taken during the test to assess the heart’s response.

The decision to perform a TMT, stress echocardiography or Dobutamine Stress Echocardiography should be made by a qualified doctor.

A Heart Checkup Is Not the Same for Everyone

There is no fixed list of tests that every person needs.

For someone with no symptoms but a family history of diabetes or high BP, blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol testing may be a sensible starting point. A person with palpitations may need an ECG or Holter monitoring. Someone with breathlessness or a known heart condition may need an echocardiogram.

The doctor may consider:

Age.
Current symptoms.
Blood pressure and sugar levels.
Cholesterol.
Tobacco use.
Family history.
Previous heart problems.
Current medicines.
Earlier reports.

This is why it is better to discuss your symptoms with a doctor instead of choosing a test only because it helped someone else.

Everyday Habits That Support Heart Health

Heart health is not built in a single day.

Staying active, avoiding tobacco, reducing excess salt and eating fewer highly processed foods can help manage cardiovascular risk. People with diabetes, high BP or high cholesterol should keep track of their reports and take medicines as prescribed.

You should also follow up on abnormal results instead of keeping them aside.

A healthy lifestyle is helpful, but it does not replace medical advice. If you have repeated symptoms or known risk factors, speak to a doctor about the checks you need.

Why Choose Star Imaging for Cardiac Tests?

Star Imaging and Path Lab has been providing diagnostic services for more than 46 years. The centre offers imaging, pathology and cardiac investigations under one diagnostic network, with services designed to support doctors in making informed clinical decisions

Patients can use Star Imaging for:

ECG and cardiac tests.
Echocardiography and TMT, where available and advised.
Blood sugar, HbA1c and lipid profile testing.
CT Angiography, when prescribed by a doctor.
Health checkup packages.
Digital access to reports.
Diagnostic centres in Delhi.
Home sample collection for eligible pathology tests.

The right test depends on your symptoms and medical history. Star Imaging and path lab limited does not recommend unnecessary testing. The investigation should be selected by a qualified doctor based on the clinical concern.

Book Your Heart Health Checkup at Star Imaging

If you have been ignoring breathlessness, unusual tiredness, palpitations or repeated chest discomfort, speak to a doctor instead of trying to identify the cause yourself.

If your doctor has advised an ECG, echocardiogram, TMT, Holter monitoring, blood sugar, HbA1c, lipid profile or another cardiac investigation, you can contact Star Imaging and Path Lab to check test availability and book an appointment.

For heart tests in delhi, call 011-45602230 or use the appointment option on the Star Imaging website. You can also visit the nearest centre for details about available cardiology tests and health checkups.

If you have sudden or severe chest discomfort, breathlessness, cold sweating, fainting or pain spreading to the arm, back, neck or jaw, do not wait for a diagnostic appointment. Seek emergency medical care immediately.

If you’ve been noticing symptoms such as breathlessness, a faster heartbeat or unusual tiredness, read our Instagram post on recognising possible heart health warning signs for a quick reminder not to ignore persistent changes.

FAQs

Question: What is the difference between an ECG and an echocardiogram?

Answer: An ECG records the heart’s electrical activity, including heart rate and rhythm. An echocardiogram uses ultrasound to assess the heart’s structure, chambers, valves and function.

Question: When is a TMT recommended for heart evaluation?

Answer: A TMT checks how the heart responds to increasing physical activity during exercise. It may be advised when symptoms occur with exertion or when exercise-related heart function needs evaluation.

Question: What does a Holter monitor detect that an ECG may not?

Answer: A standard ECG records heart activity for a short period, so intermittent rhythm changes may be missed. A Holter monitor records the heart rhythm continuously for a longer period to detect these changes.

Question: What is the role of stress echocardiography?

Answer: A stress echocardiogram assesses how the heart functions when it is working harder. It can show changes in heart muscle movement or function that may not be visible when the heart is at rest.

Question: What is Dobutamine Stress Echocardiography?

Answer: Dobutamine Stress Echocardiography uses medicine to make the heart work harder when exercise is not suitable. Ultrasound images are taken during the test to assess how the heart responds under medical supervision.

Question: Can someone have a heart problem even without chest pain?

Answer: Yes, heart problems can sometimes cause breathlessness, unusual fatigue, dizziness, fainting or irregular heartbeat without chest pain. High blood pressure and high cholesterol may also be present without noticeable symptoms.

Question: What should be included in a heart health checkup?

Answer: A heart health checkup may include blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and other tests based on individual risk factors. An ECG, echocardiogram or other heart tests may be advised when clinically appropriate.