Heart diseases among young people rising in India: study

New Delhi: It is a matter of missing many heart beats together. Heart disease is getting younger by the day in India and striking at unlikely early ages. With increasing life style deviation and spiking stress, its catchment area is ominously increasing, taking even children in its grip.

So, the experts say that this 'World Heart Day,' which falls on September 29, must be for India a day of reckoning. India must seriously think about ways to stop itself from becoming heart disease capital of the world.

Heart disease is awfully becoming common in the age just after 30. It is high time to hold your horses of aberrant life style to keep heart disease, the number one killer, at bay. Immediate life style changes are called for. Experts are crying hoarse about the approaching heart calamity for India. Stress is precipitating it threateningly. Stress and deviant life style together makes a formidable enemy of heart. To keep heat beat going for pretty long years, it is imperative to beat this enemy.

Given the risk factors galore, the assessment of heart health should start early in today's life. According to heart experts, age of screening needs to be brought down substantially to avert heart events like heart attack and heart failure in young age.

Regular screening and remedial actions thereafter is the only way to keep heart up and doing. They warn that we would ignore heart health at our peril. Researches one after another shows, cardiovascular diseases are the number one cause of death around the world. In India, heart disease is knocking quite early because of genetic susceptibility. So, Indians need to be more cautious.

Cardiovascular diseases mainly occur due to smoking, alcohol consumption, majorly due to hypertension or stress and also because of cholesterol level in the body. Though cardiovascular diseases are making inroads in rural areas too in a big way, life style of people in metros are of more immediate concern. Urban life style needs to be corrected in order to avoid risk of death from Heart Attack or Stroke. As, major young population is indulging in eating junk and fried foods, sedentary life style is making it worse. Subdued symptoms are another concern area. The stroke comes sudden and leads to death in most of the cases. Only, treatment just in time and monthly check-ups can help in preventing death.

Dr. Sandeep Seth, the professor of Cardiology at department of Cardiology, AIIMS, said, "80 percent of premature deaths from cardiovascular disease (CVD) could be avoided if four main risk factors - tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and harmful use of alcohol - are controlled. Although heart disease may often be thought of as a problem for men, heart disease is the most common cause of death for both women and men. Heart diseases that affect women more than men include coronary micro vascular disease (MVD) - a problem that affects the heart's tiny arteries heart disease symptoms in women may be different from those in men. The most common heart attack symptom in women is some type of pain, pressure or discomfort in the chest. But it is not always severe or even the most prominent symptom, particularly in women."

"It is very important for women to take care of her heart as 1 in 3 women die each year due to cardiovascular diseases and stroke. When you're facing something as serious as a possible heart attack, it is much better to be safe than sorry. Every minute matters," he added.

Dr. Inder Kasturia, physician and wellness expert at Aakash Healthcare said, "We are seeing increased incidence of heart problems in youngsters these days because of faulty lifestyle i .e junk foods, lack of physical activities, increasing stress levels, increased smoking and drinking among youngsters. We find dyslipidemia, hypothyroidism and diabetes mellitus among youngsters which is a precursor of heart disease. At Aakash Healthcare thyroid, sugar and cholesterol camps are conducted on almost every Sunday to arrest the disease at early stage."

Dr. H.S. Isser, professor of cardiology at department of cardiology at Safdarjung Hospital and Vardhman Mahavir Medical College, informed, "Although heart disease may often be thought of as a problem for men, heart disease is the most common cause of death for both women and men. Women tend to have CHD about 10 years later than men; it is thought that this difference is at least partially due to protective hormonal effects. Heart disease among younger women (aged 35 to 54) is actually increasing. The most common cause of heart disease in both men and women is narrowing or blockage of the coronary arteries, the blood vessels that supply blood to the heart itself. This is called coronary artery disease."

"Women tend to show up in emergency rooms after heart damage has already occurred because their symptoms are not those usually associated with a heart attack, and because women may downplay their symptoms. Many women delay getting help for a possible heart attack because they don't want to bother others, especially if their symptoms turn out to be a "false alarm." 90% of women have one or more risk factors for heart disease or stroke and 80% of heart disease and stroke events may be prevented by lifestyle changes and education," he added.

Dr. Atul N. C. Peters, Director -Bariatric and Metabolic Surgery, Fortis Hospital said, "Being obese puts you at a higher risk for cardiovascular diseases such as heart stroke, high blood pressure , diabetes and more. Taking care of the small eating habits to regularly exercising are the best preventive measures one should take besides seeking consultancy from the doctor."

Dr. Archana Dhawan Bajaj, Gynecologist, Obstetrician & IVF Expert, Nurture IVF Centre informed, "It is important to note that cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are on a rise among women. Women are more prone to stress & depression which can lead to heart attack, however symptoms in women are not similar to that of men. Pain in back, neck, jaw or arms are more common in women than in men. Severe Stomach pain which is often mistook for heartburn, can be an alarming symptom of heart attack in women.

Dr. Dhawan added that Shortness of breath, nausea, sweating and fatique are few common symptoms in women for heart attack. Chest pain remains the commonest of symptom for heart attack.