Young hearts at risk
On World Heart Day, BT gets experts to tell you how youngsters can prevent heart ailments
If you think that heart disease affects only people over 50, here’s something you need to read. “One of the biggest misconceptions that the general public has is that heart disease only happens to the elderly. However, studies say that there is no particular age, which is immune to a heart attack. The current observation of multidisciplinary bodies has shown that heart attacks
are seen at a relatively younger age these days. There is an alarming rise of heart problems in younger people in their 20s, 30s and 40s. Some have suffered
from heart attacks and
require angioplasty and bypass surgery at a very young age,” says Consultant Interventional Cardiologist Dr Vijay Surase.
CAUSES A variety of genetic factors make one prone to heart disease at an early age. “Genetic predisposition to heart attacks, high cholesterol levels, so-called familial hypercholesterolemia, diabetes, hypertension in the young, and some cases of hypothyroidism are some causes. Some of the specific risk factors include high homocysteine levels and high levels of lipoprotein ‘small-a’ as well as ‘lousy’ cholesterol. All patients above 25 should at least once get extended lipid profiles tested so that complete information on the cholesterol makeup of the body is available,” adds Dr Surase.
A decrease in participation in active sports or outdoor activities, regularly indulging in fast food also contributes to the development of heart disease and attacks at a
much younger age
group,” he says.
• Smoking causes sludging of blood, narrowing of coronary arteries, and causes platelets in the blood to become extremely sticky so that at the slightest provocation, a measure of broad forms in the coronary arteries resulting in 100 per cent blockage of the coronary arteries and a myocardial infarction or heart attack.
• People under extreme stress are at increased risk for heart disease even if they do not have a family history of the same. When you’re very stressed, there are chemicals that are released that cause blood pressure to surge and the heart rate to go up. Cells, called platelets, develop a tendency to clump together and this sets up a series of reactions that could enhance the process of plaque or clot formation in the blood vessel (artery) of heart. This leads to heart problems.
TREATMENT “When a heart attack occurs in a younger person, a procedure like angioplasty is recommended, leaving a procedure like bypass surgery in reserve for a later date, if required. One needs to be more aggressive in the treatment options, stricter in lifestyle modification intervention and maintain cholesterol levels.
REGULAR SCREENINGS Screening is an important way to prevent heart trouble. The earlier you start screening and treating it, the more disease you can prevent. That means getting your blood pressure, sugar and cholesterol checked at appropriate times. Adults — 25 years and older — should have their cholesterol screened and be screened for diabetes starting in the 20s. High blood pressure checks should also start in the 20s.
Cardiologist Dr Rajesh Rajani sums it up by saying, “About 60 to 70 years ago, heart attacks used to occur in people above the age of 70. Today, however, we see heart problems in people as young as 20. One of the major reasons for this alarming increase is due to urbanisation. Ambitious behaviour on the part of the youth — they put so much stress on themselves to do things in a short span of time — is the key factor responsible for heart problems in the younger age group. Vices like smoking, alcohol, bad food habits compound the problem by acting as a cumulative factor. Heart problems in anyone younger than 55 years of age is known as premature coronary artery disease. If one or both your parents or close family members have heart problems, find out if you are at risk, too,” says Dr Rajani.
Even if you walk for 45 minutes at a brisk pace, it is enough to ensure good health. For those above the age of 50, do a stress test before starting exercise.
KIDS AS YOUNG AS FIVE SUFFERING HEART DAMAGE CAUSED BY OBESITY
Obesity is putting more children at risk of high blood pressure and cholesterol, which can damage their hearts, according to a study. It found that blood pressure of obese kids is 40 per cent higher than that of healthy youngsters and they have up to nine times more cholesterol in their blood. Even in children as young as five, arteries have become lined with fatty deposits, so their hearts have to work harder to pump blood. The study found the hearts of obese children were enlarged compared to those of youngsters, who had a healthy weight. And the blood pressure and cholesterol of some were so high that unless they changed their lifestyles, they could be 40 per cent more likely to die from a heart attack or stroke in adulthood. The researchers believe obese children’s hearts gradually become enlarged due to the strain of having to pump blood through the partly blocked blood vessels. - ANI
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