Now that the risk to health from noncommunicable diseases is being taken very seriously, what action is the government taking to contain cardiovascular disease in India? Host Dr Denis Xavier (St John's National Academy of Health Sciences, Bangalore) is joined by president-elect of the World Heart Federation, Dr Srinath Reddy (Public Health Foundation of India, New Delhi), to address government policy in the face of crisis that's happening "in slow motion."

In this inaugural episode, host Dr Denis Xavier (St John's National Academy of Health Sciences, Bangalore) and renowned academic Dr Rajeev Gupta (Fortis Escorts Hospital and Rajasthan University of Health Sciences, Jaipur) set the stage for the series with an overview of heart disease in India and its underlying risk factors. What explains the dramatic rise of cardiovascular disease and how is it being addressed?