Veteran vascular surgeon highlights the growing burden of vascular diseases, shortage of specialists and the need for greater public awareness on The Hope Code with Varun Khanna
India is witnessing a rapid rise in diabetes, hypertension and lifestyle-related disorders, yet one of the country’s most critical healthcare challenges continues to receive far less attention than it deserves—vascular disease. Affecting the body’s network of arteries, veins and lymphatic vessels, vascular disorders are increasingly contributing to stroke, limb loss, chronic disability and even death, often because patients fail to recognise the warning signs until it is too late.
Speaking on the latest episode of The Hope Code, hosted by Varun Khanna, Managing Director & CEO, Aster DM Quality Care Limited, renowned vascular surgeon Dr. P.C. Gupta, Clinical Director & Head of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Vascular Interventional Radiology & Podiatric Surgery at CARE Hospitals, Hyderabad, called for greater awareness of vascular health, early diagnosis and timely specialist intervention.
Watch the full conversation:
In this episode of The Hope Code, Varun Khanna speaks with Dr. P.C. Gupta about India’s growing vascular disease burden, advances in endovascular surgery, the shortage of vascular specialists, and why recognising early symptoms can save limbs and lives.
▶ Full Interview:
Drawing a simple analogy, Dr. Gupta described the vascular system as the body’s transport network, responsible for delivering oxygen and nutrients to every organ. “When these pathways become blocked or damaged, the consequences can be devastating. Just as blocked highways bring traffic to a standstill, blocked blood vessels can threaten organs, limbs and lives,” he explained.
A Growing Burden That Often Goes Unnoticed
According to Dr. Gupta, India’s disease profile has changed dramatically over the past few decades. While infectious diseases once dominated healthcare, non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, stroke and vascular disorders have now become leading causes of illness and death.
People with diabetes, smokers and individuals with uncontrolled blood pressure are particularly vulnerable to vascular disease. Yet many continue to dismiss early symptoms such as leg pain while walking, swelling or wounds that refuse to heal.
“These are not minor problems. They can indicate serious circulatory disease, and delayed treatment may result in permanent disability or even loss of a limb,” he cautioned.
Three Symptoms That Should Never Be Ignored
During the conversation, Dr. Gupta identified three warning signs that should prompt immediate medical evaluation:
- Persistent pain in the legs, particularly while walking.
- Swelling in one or both limbs.
- A wound or ulcer that does not heal.
He explained that these symptoms may point to underlying arterial or venous disease and should not be mistaken as routine signs of ageing or diabetes.
Beyond limb-threatening disease, vascular disorders are also closely linked to stroke. Blockages in the arteries supplying the brain can often be detected before a major stroke occurs, allowing timely intervention that may prevent permanent neurological damage.
India Needs More Vascular Surgeons
The discussion also highlighted an often-overlooked challenge—the shortage of trained vascular surgeons in India.
Dr. Gupta recalled that when he trained, vascular surgery was available in only a handful of institutions. Although training programmes have expanded across the country, India currently produces only around 40 to 50 vascular surgeons every year, a number that remains inadequate for a population of over 1.4 billion.
He described himself as an “accidental vascular surgeon,” explaining how an unexpected opportunity during his surgical training eventually led him to specialise in vascular surgery. When he joined CARE Hospitals in Hyderabad in 2002, he saw only a handful of vascular patients each month because awareness of the specialty was extremely limited.
More than two decades later, he has witnessed the specialty evolve into one of the fastest-growing fields of surgery, driven by rising vascular disease and advances in minimally invasive treatment.
Technology is Transforming Treatment
Modern vascular care has undergone a significant transformation over the past two decades.
Many conditions that once required major open surgery can now be treated using endovascular techniques, where surgeons navigate tiny catheters through blood vessels using advanced imaging systems to remove clots, open blocked arteries or repair aneurysms through small punctures rather than large incisions.
However, Dr. Gupta stressed that while technology has dramatically improved patient outcomes, it cannot replace clinical judgement and surgical expertise.
“The technology has evolved tremendously, but ultimately it is the surgeon’s understanding, experience and decision-making that determine the outcome,” he noted.
Better Care, Not Necessarily Overtreatment
Addressing concerns around overtreatment in modern healthcare, Dr. Gupta offered a balanced perspective.
He explained that patients often perceive additional investigations as unnecessary. However, many pre-operative evaluations help identify hidden cardiovascular risks that can make surgery significantly safer.
“What appears to be overtreatment is often better evaluation and better planning,” he said, adding that clinical decisions must always balance evidence, patient safety and long-term outcomes.
Putting Prevention at the Centre of Vascular Care
Throughout the conversation, one message remained consistent: prevention and early diagnosis are the most powerful tools against vascular disease.
Recognising symptoms early, seeking timely specialist advice and controlling risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension and smoking can prevent many of the complications that continue to claim limbs and lives across the country.
By translating complex vascular science into practical advice for the public, The Hope Code episode not only demystifies a highly specialised branch of medicine but also shines a spotlight on a growing healthcare challenge that deserves far greater public attention.
As India continues to battle the rising burden of non-communicable diseases, Dr. Gupta’s message is clear: vascular disease should no longer remain a silent epidemic. Early diagnosis, specialist care and public awareness have the potential to prevent thousands of avoidable disabilities and save countless lives.