TV actor Sidharth Shukla died after suffering a massive heart attack at the age of 40. He was brought dead to the hospital and this news has raised questions on early deaths of a heart attack.
Sidharth’s tragic and untimely demise has sent shockwaves throughout India. It’s a worrisome example because he is not a one-off case. Of late, Bengaluru’s cardiologists have recorded an increase in the number of Premature Coronary Artery Disease (PCAD) cases among people in the younger age group.
The PCAD registry, maintained by the Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research, has disclosed that over the past two years, over 2,400 cases of heart attack have been recorded among patients under the age of 40. Out of these, 1,250 fresh heart attack cases have been reported among patients below 35 years.
For the last several decades, ageing has been established as one of the biggest risk factors for heart attacks, typically affecting men 50+ and women 65+. Now, people in their 20s, 30s, and 40s are more often falling victim to these cardiovascular attacks. The change of diet patterns, lack sunlight, and heavy workouts bringing stress to the heart.
Also read: Sidharth Shukla’s death leaves his mother in a tremor
Dietary choices such as exposure and access to ultra-processed food, Weight and obesity, sedentary lifestyle and decreased physical activity are other reasons for heart attacks. This new development is due to the change in lifestyle over the past several decades. There’s been a shift in people’s day-to-day – too much Uber Eats and not enough cardio. Increased screen time has dramatically impacted how much we move as well.
Even jobs are more sedentary and require less physical activity than in past decades. So much, in fact, has shifted over the past several years that some experts aren’t surprised by the fact that heart attacks are climbing in young people.
Heart attacks can happen to anyone – but the risk is especially high when genetics come into play. Primordial and primary prevention is crucial for those with a family history of heart disease. Your hereditary risk of heart disease is defined by having a first-degree male relative (like your father, brother or son) under the age of 55 with a heart attack or stroke history, or a first-degree female relative (like your mother, sister, or daughter) under the age of 65 with a heart attack or stroke history.
When we’re talking about young people having heart attacks, it’s important to adapt the discussion based on risk factors. It is about having an honest conversation and not pushing things off and saying ‘Oh, I’m too young,’ especially if you have symptoms.”
Guidelines recommend that people ages 20 to 39 without hereditary risk have their cardiovascular health assessed every four to six years. For those that have a genetic risk, it’s critical to be engaged in your health and speak with your doctor early.
At the end of the day, it’s important to understand what your risk factors are –high blood pressure, waist circumference, unhealthy BMI – and work to correct them early. We need to set well habits for ourselves and for our children, especially with how childhood obesity will come into play with this.
The dramatic increase of young adults having heart attacks is evidence and for that our lifestyles need to change.
Heart attacks are increasing in young adults under the age of 40 — including those in their 20s and 30s. Knowing what’s behind the rise in heart attacks in young adults can help you take steps to protect your health and prevent cardiovascular disease. At Cardio Metabolic Institute, we specialize in assessing your risk and developing a long-range plan to help you beat the statistics and prevent a heart attack. Not long ago, heart attacks were primarily a problem faced by older adults. It was rare for anyone younger than 40 to have a heart attack. Now 1 in 5 heart attack patients is younger than 40 years of age.
Having a heart attack in your 20s or early 30s is more common. Between the years 2000-2016, the heart attack rate increased by 2% every year in this young age group. Young adults are increasingly diagnosed with hypertension
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is one of the biggest risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Unfortunately, just like the trend in heart attacks, the incidence of hypertension is rising faster in young adults than in older adults. High blood pressure makes your heart muscles thicken, harms your blood vessels, and increases your risk of a heart attack.
Your heart rate tightens your blood vessels and raises your blood pressure, all of which are associated with heart attacks.
Many heart attacks are preventable because you can change your risk factors by making lifestyle changes and taking medications if needed to protect your health. You can get all the support you need to prevent a heart attack if you keep your health check at a regular interval.
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