Why are cases of heart attack increasing among youth? (Picture Courtesy: Freepik)
Lifestyle Desk, New Delhi. A worrying trend has been seen in the last few years in the National Capital Region (NCR) adjacent to the country's capital. Cases of heart attack in 30s are increasing rapidly among youth aged between 30 to 40 years. This is the same age which was earlier considered safe for heart diseases.
However, now according to doctors and public health experts, a dangerous combination of environment, lifestyle and metabolic reasons are responsible for this. To know about these reasons (Reasons of Heart Attack), we talked to Dr. Binay Kumar Pandey (Director Cardiology, Yatharth Hospital, Sector-20, Faridabad). Let us know what he told.
Air pollution becomes the biggest threat
The continuously deteriorating air in NCR is one of the biggest reasons for this problem. The level of PM2.5 and toxic gases here remains dangerous for most of the year. These very fine particles enter the body through breath and reach the blood directly. Prolonged exposure to these causes inflammation, oxidative stress and damage to blood vessels in the body.
This accelerates the process of plaque accumulation in the arteries, which is called atherosclerosis. Research shows that air pollution is now increasing the risk of heart attack manifold not only in the elderly but also in the youth.
Sitting habits and work stress
Corporate culture, long working hours, constant screen time and lack of sleep are also taking a toll on heart health. Due to stress, stress hormones like cortisol increase in the body, which increases blood pressure and pressure on the heart. Apart from this, lack of regular exercise and processed or junk food also invite heart diseases.
Lifestyle diseases increasing at a young age
In NCR, diseases like diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol and high blood pressure are now being seen at an early age. The problem is that many of these diseases continue to harm the body for a long time without causing any symptoms. By the time the person comes to know about it, the nerves of the heart have been damaged to a great extent, due to which the risk of sudden heart attack increases.
Increasing trend of smoking, vaping and alcohol
Smoking, vaping and alcohol have also become a major risk factor among the youth. These habits not only damage the blood vessels, but can also make the heartbeat abnormal, increasing the chances of a heart attack.
At the age of 30 and 40, most people consider themselves fit and ignore regular health checkups. Due to this, problems like high BP, sugar or high cholesterol are not caught in time.
What are the preventive measures?
Experts believe that to stop this trend, improving air quality, adopting an active lifestyle, managing stress, eating a balanced and nutritious diet and regular cardiac screening are very important. Only timely alertness regarding heart health can save the youth from this increasing danger.