In a HealthBrief exclusive, Chandrashekhar Jaiman, Senior Director – Cardiovascular at Medtronic India, explains why Bradycardia—a slow heart rhythm often overlooked—remains underdiagnosed in India. He discusses advancements in pacemaker technology, the importance of early detection, and how storytelling, relatable scenarios, and are being used to help families spot warning signs and seek timely medical care.
Heart failure and cardiac arrhythmias contribute substantially to India’s non-communicable disease burden, with nearly 40,000–50,000 affected patients receiving interventional device therapies each year. Yet despite its prevalence, Bradycardia—a condition marked by a slower-than-normal heart rate—often goes unnoticed, partly because it feels technical and abstract to most people.
Speaking on why the condition remains removed from everyday conversations, Chandrashekhar Jaiman, Senior Director – Cardiovascular-India at Medtronic , a global healthcare technology player, says, “That’s an interesting question and probably an important point as to why we are talking about such a complex word. If I say, ‘slow heart rhythm,’ nobody would pay attention, right? It’s the human mind. And if you see why, it is important that people pay attention to it, the symptoms of Bradycardia, or a slower heart rate, are very, weak.
He adds, “It is like, ‘Oh, I am tired. I am stressed today.’ And if you tell this to a 65-year-old person, he will say, ‘Oh, it’s part of being old. What’s the big deal?’ Right?”
“In reality, this is a condition that can be treated very effectively,” says Jaiman. “Our responsibility is to help ease concern by reinforcing that this is not simply an inevitable part of aging. Early testing and timely treatment matter. When people are diagnosed and treated at the right time, outcomes can be significantly improved. Waiting too long, however, can allow the disease to progress to a point where even available therapies may no longer deliver the same benefit.”
#DecodeYourRhythm campaign by Medtronic India
As part of its efforts to raise awareness, Medtronic India has launched the #DecodeYourRhythm campaign to spotlight Bradycardia, marked by a resting heart rate below 60 beats per minute.
The campaign reflects the company’s strong commitment to public education through innovative and engaging communication. It provides critical insights into common warning signs, demonstrating how everyday experiences can serve as early indicators of underlying heart rhythm disorders.
Through a compelling blend of light-hearted storytelling and clear, evidence-based information, the campaign simplifies complex medical concepts, making them both engaging and actionable for a wider audience.
As part of its broader mission, #DecodeYourRhythm also highlights the scale of underdiagnosis in India—a gap that often prevents timely intervention for Bradycardia.
These estimates are based on large-scale epidemiological and population studies. Data from U.S. National Institutes of Health–recognized research indicates that arrhythmias are common, particularly as people age, but prevalence varies significantly by type of arrhythmia.
Addressing the treatment gap, he adds, “On an estimate of 6 million have arrhythmia, but the number of people treated every year in India is not even 70,000. So, there is a mass either underdiagnosis or lack of treatment for people.”
On why this gap persists, Jaiman explains, “As I said, the biggest barrier is that the symptoms are very weak. People don’t get treated. People don’t get checked on time, which leads to a lack of diagnosis. Once the person gets diagnosed, there could be only two barriers why people may or may not get treated. One is probably the fear of getting treated, fear of surgery, or sometimes, you know, the attitude, ‘No, nothing will happen to me.’ And then, you know, some people behave that way,”
Highlighting a positive development, he points to policy support as a turning point: “But there’s great news here, and we must thank the Government of India for that. These procedures are covered under the Ayushman Bharat policy. So, it’s a great boon for people.”
“So,” he adds, “that’s the reason we think it’s a great initiative to educate people so they can really get treated in time.”
Why humour and relatability are central to the campaign
Explaining the creative choice behind the campaign, Jaiman says, “So, see, there is so much health-related information available today, right? We are living in an age where information is not the issue—focus is. People don’t pay attention to the information available. So, it’s extremely important, whatever we do, that people can pay attention to this information so they can grasp it.”
Discussing audience targeting, he adds, “That’s number one. Number two, think about it. We could have made this campaign very serious, targeting people aged 65 or 70. But in real life, at least in Indian conditions, whenever something is wrong with our parents or grandparents, it’s typically us who act.”
Reflecting on family dynamics, Jaiman explains, “I cannot speak for Western societies, but here we live in a society where family relationships are extremely important. If I’m 65 years old and something happens to me, I might not pay much attention. But if my son finds out, he’ll say, ‘No, you can’t live with this. We need to go to a doctor. I think you have Bradycardia.’ As a 65-year-old, I may not know what Bradycardia is, and I might not want to know. But my son will not let me ignore it. He’ll take me to a physician.”
Summing up the intent, he adds, “Hence, we have kept the campaign #DecodeYourRhythm playful. We have made it memorable so people pay attention, and we have targeted it at the relatively younger generation, not those between the ages of 65 and 78, because we are the ones who will act, not the person himself or herself.”
How the campaign idea emerged from mapping the patient journey
Placing this in the Indian healthcare context and patient journey, he adds, “We know that in most disease states, many Indian patients don’t get treated on time and later either die prematurely or develop much more serious conditions, often incurring significantly higher costs.”
To illustrate this gap, he says, “For example, someone with heart disease who does not receive timely treatment may end up in heart failure and land in the ICU multiple times.” Reflecting on the consequences, he adds, “Had they been treated on time, their costs would have been lower, their suffering reduced, and their loss of productivity significantly less.”
He emphasizes the ripple effect: “This affects not only the patient but also the family, because in India, with one patient, there are often six family members involved in hospital care,” adding, “Imagine the resulting loss of productivity.”
Looking specifically at heart rhythm conditions, he continues, “When we examined the patient journey of people with Bradycardia—or, more broadly, people living with heart rhythm issues, as I prefer not to call them patients—we realized that a significant number of people only become aware of their condition at advanced stages, typically during hospital admissions.”
Describing how this awareness occurs, Jaiman says, “Something goes wrong, they land in the emergency room, and that’s when they realise there is a serious problem.”
Framing the core question that shaped the campaign, he adds, “Our endeavour is this: why should you only discover your heart condition when you end up in an emergency, where everyone is panicking, and your cost of admission is much higher?”
He points out that the body often signals problems well in advance: “Why not listen to your body, since it gives you all the signals you need?”
Summarizing the gap, he says, “The biggest gap in the patient’s journey is getting to know your condition on time and understanding that it is a serious issue, not just general tiredness.”
Closing the thought, he adds, “That’s where we, as a company, wanted to focus. We aim to reach people on a mass level and encourage them: please see your physician if you notice any of these symptoms.”
The message beyond treatment: The importance of listening early
Providing everyday context, he says, “Let’s say you have a symptom of getting tired repeatedly. It could be Bradycardia, but it could also be heart failure. It could be something to do with blood oxygen, something related to the lungs, or it may not be anything serious. But what is the right thing to do? Go see your physician. The physician will evaluate you and guide you because life is invaluable.”
Reflecting on age and the value of every year, he adds, “Whether you are 45 or 75, every year is invaluable. As you grow older, every year of your life is extremely valuable for the next generation to learn from you.”
He continues, “Sometimes, our senior generation has the attitude: ‘Oh, I’ve lived enough. Why should I live? Why should I worry about it? Why should I spend money on getting treated?’ I think there is a different way to look at it. They have a wealth of experience and can truly contribute to society by sharing that knowledge and information.”
Concluding, Jaiman says, “So, it’s extremely important that whenever something is not right, they seek advice from a physician. Your body is telling you what you need, right? But let a physician make the decision and get treated if necessary. And that’s a decision that can be made jointly by the physician, the caregiver, and the patient themselves.”
How age influences the risk of Symptomatic Bradycardia
Addressing whether Bradycardia is overlooked in specific age groups, Jaiman explains, “The risk of Bradycardia exists at all ages. However, there is a distinction between Bradycardia and Symptomatic Bradycardia, where the symptoms become clearly visible and the patient begins to suffer.”
He adds, “The incidence of Symptomatic Bradycardia increases significantly after the age of 65 to 70, and it becomes more common in individuals aged 70 and above.”
How pacemaker technology has evolved to become more patient-friendly
Looking back at the early days of treatment, Jaiman says, “Pacemakers were massive, wall-powered machines—so large that patients were often confined to their hospital beds, tethered by wires and unable to move freely.
. That’s where we started, and that is the origin of Medtronic.”
Describing the transformation over time, he adds, “Today, our latest pacemaker is probably about 1.5 times the size of a large vitamin capsule. That reflects the kind of transformation we have achieved, and it has not happened overnight. It has happened based on three things.”
Wrapping up the conversation, he adds, “So, that is an ongoing pursuit for us. I believe that once patients get treated, most of them feel better because the function of the pacemaker is supported by a machine that continuously senses when there is a lower heart rhythm. It delivers current to the heart so it pumps at the required rate.
