World Heart Day 2026: Don't Miss a Beat

Heart Disease Can Hide in Plain Sight

Every year on 29 September, World Heart Day brings people together to raise awareness of cardiovascular disease (CVD). CVD remains the world's leading cause of death, yet many warning signs can be overlooked or mistaken for something less serious.

What is Cardiovascular Disease

Cardiovascular disease refers to a group of conditions affecting the heart and blood vessels, including coronary heart disease, heart failure, stroke and congenital heart disease.

Common risk factors include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, smoking, physical inactivity, unhealthy diet and a family history of cardiovascular disease. Some risk factors may not cause obvious symptoms, which makes regular health checks especially important.

Know the Warning Signs

Possible warning signs of an urgent cardiovascular event may include:

• Chest pain, pressure or discomfort
• Shortness of breath
• Pain or discomfort in the arm, shoulder, back, neck or jaw
• Cold sweat, nausea or unusual weakness
• Sudden dizziness, fainting or palpitations

Symptoms can vary from person to person. Women, older adults and people with diabetes may experience less typical symptoms.

Why Timely Testing Matters

Some cardiovascular conditions can develop silently. Healthcare professionals may combine medical history, physical examination, electrocardiography, imaging and laboratory testing to assess a patient's condition.

Cardiac biomarkers can provide objective information to support clinical assessment:

• hs-cTnI and hs-cTnT: markers associated with myocardial injury
• CK-MB: a supplementary marker in cardiac assessment
• BNP and NT-proBNP: markers commonly used in the evaluation of heart failure

Getein Cardiovascular Testing Solutions

From point-of-care testing to automated laboratory workflows, Getein supports cardiovascular marker testing across POCT and CLIA platforms.

POCT platforms bring quantitative testing closer to patients and support timely near-patient workflows.

Automated CLIA platforms provide standardized and scalable testing solutions for clinical laboratories. Getein's hs-cTnI assay has been successfully listed in the IFCC Global Performance Reference Table.

Test menus, sample types and regulatory status may vary by platform and market.

Protect Your Heart, One Beat at a Time

• Know your blood pressure, blood glucose and cholesterol levels.
• Stay physically active and maintain a healthy weight.
• Choose a balanced diet with less salt, sugar and saturated fat.
• Do not smoke, and avoid exposure to tobacco smoke.
• Take prescribed medicines as directed and attend regular check-ups.

This World Heart Day, see the signs, protect your heart and demand action.

Don't Miss a Beat.

Learn more about Getein cardiovascular testing solutions.