Heart Attack in Youngsters: A trend that needs to be stopped

Cardiac Surgery | by BMB | Published on 30/06/2022

There was a time when people used to associate problems like heart attack with elderlies, and younger people didn't really need to worry about such things. As per the experts from the best heart hospital in Kolkata, it was quite rare to see someone, below the age of 40, having a heart attack and maybe this is the reason why we all became a bit reckless. In the past few decades, there has been a significant increase in the cases of heart attacks among the younger population. The problem became even more evident when many young celebrities lost their lives due to a heart attack. It has been found that the rate of heart attacks in the younger population has increased by 2 percent every year, between 2000 and 2016. This is both, shocking and alarming. You will be surprised to know that out of five people having a heart attack nowadays, at least one is likely to be below 40.

Also referred to as acute myocardial infarction, a heart attack is a serious condition marked by a hindered supply of blood to the heart muscle. Heart attack is often triggered by an underline medical condition like coronary heart disease. A patient suffering from a heart attack requires immediate medical supervision or it can give rise to serious complications, even death.

Now, the question is, why is this trend on the rise? Here are some possible reasons that we have listed with the help of the best cardiologist in Kolkata.

Unhealthy Lifestyle and routine - Lifestyles and daily routines of people have tremendously changed over the years, with increased dependence on technology, which has further led to the prevalence of a stagnant lifestyle. Vehicles may have cut short the distance between two people but they have brought down your daily activity level. You will hardly see anyone using a cycle or walking on foot. For many, these are the things of the past. People take their sleeping hours for granted and resort to unhealthy eating habits, all of which have led to an increase in the incidence of various heart ailments including heart attacks.

Excessive stress - It is quite common for people to stress about things every now and then, however, if this becomes a part and parcel of your daily life, it might be putting your heart at a risk too. Some of the most common causes of stress in young people are peer pressure, expectations, fear of failure, excessive workload and lack of sleep. When we are under stress, our body releases a hormone, cortisol. This can cause your blood pressure, cholesterol, and sugar levels to spike up. Stress has also been associated with increased risks of plaque build-up.

Heaving drinking and smoking - Think smoking and drinking are fun? Think twice before you take another puff or sip as experts from the best cardiac hospital in Kolkata suggest that the habit of smoking and drinking can drastically impact your arteries, thereby restricting the flow of blood. This is quite likely to increase the risks of heart attack, even if you are young and perfectly healthy otherwise.

Obesity - The prevalence of obesity has nearly tripled in the past few decades and it is quite common in younger people. Being obese is a major risk factor for a vast range of health issues. It makes you more prone to cholesterol-related problems, coronary artery disease, stroke and heart attack. Vascular fat, especially, has been found to be immensely dangerous.

If you can relate to any of the factors it is very important to go for regular preventive health checkups and make necessary changes in your lifestyle in order to lower the risks of a heart attack.