Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh): There has been a rise in young people succumbing to a heart attack. The reason for the rise in cases is due to multiple factors and Covid-19 also has a role to play.
It's not very uncommon for Indians to experience heart attacks in the age group of 40-45 years. Compared to the west, where the heart attacks are prominent in those in the age group of 60-65 years, said Academy of Cardiovascular Sciences Executive Member Dr Naresh Purohit
He stated that in the past few years, deviating from the routine pattern of striking the older population and those with pre-existing heart issues, heart diseases are now prevalent among the young -- 25 % of those who suffered heart attacks are below 45 years of age in the entire country. In this, 30 per cent are middle-aged and youngsters with no conventional risk factors like smoking, high BP, diabetes etc. Though there is no exact reason for such Myocardial Infarction (MI) incidents.
“Lifestyle choices, diet plan, workout routine and how one manages his/her stress levels can influence the possibilities of a attack” he added.
Sharing his concern on the death of actor Puneeth Rajkumar, he said that the actor experienced pain overnight and there was a delay in seeking medical help.
Dr Purohit observed that young people often tend to ignore the first signs and end up going to the hospital quite late. Young people believe that they can't get heart attacks. When they see the signs, they try to take gastric medicines to avoid the signs.
He further said that people assume fit guys or people who eat healthily will not get heart attacks and this is the primary reason for catastrophic results.
Citing his recent research paper published in the Singapore Journal of Cardiology Dr Purohit pointed that there is evidence that high-intensity exercise can acutely increase the risk for sudden cardiac arrest or sudden cardiac death in individuals with underlying heart disease.
Individuals with a family history of heart disease, sudden cardiac death or with multiple risk factors like diabetes, hypertension, and smoking should consult a cardiologist for fitness evaluation before starting an exercise program. He said that a strong family history of sudden cardiac death also necessitates screening for diseases with genetic inheritance.
Men aged 40 years and older and women aged 50 years and older should go through tests before starting extreme exercise regimens.
Dr Purohit said that many youngsters follow a work hard-party hard mantra, which involves sleeping late and waking up early to hit the gym. In the absence of adequate sleep [six to eight hours], the body undergoes certain hormonal changes — an excess of stress hormones is produced, which accumulate in the body.
He pointed out that the incidence of heart attacks is highest between 5 am and 11 am, when high adrenaline levels affect the blood’s coagulative properties.
