Bengaluru: The sedentary lifestyle of majority of youngsters has led to heightened risk of strokes and heart attacks. A large number of youngsters are falling prey to the health condition which was not witnessed just a decade ago, worrying the healthcare sector and doctors.
Doctors said that they have been seeing more people in their early 20s suffering from cardiac diseases because of their sedentary lifestyle.
Dr Deepesh Venkatraman, Consultant Interventional Cardiologist, BGS Gleneagles Global Hospitals, said, “Blood vessel blockages leading to heart attack and stroke have transcended boundaries of age. Of late, the young in their third decade and fourth decade are suffering from coronary artery diseases.”
In one such case, a 25-year-old techie complained of a severe chest pain and got admitted to Apollo Hospitals, thinking that he was suffering from an acidity problem. Echo test and ECG showed that his artery had 99% blockage. The patient was a smoker and also had a family history of cardio-vascular diseases (CVDs). His heart had an injury and had stopped performing efficiently. A team of doctors operated on him, cleared all the blockages and conducted an angioplasty.
Dr Girish Navasundi, Consultant Cardiologist, Apollo Hospitals, Bannerghatta Road, said, “There are many misconceptions and myths associated with the heart disease. Some believe that children and young adults do not have to worry about heart disease because they are too young to develop such issues. It is simply untrue as heart health issues, and even a heart attack, can occur at any age. People can begin developing plaques (atherosclerosis) in their arteries during childhood and this has only been aggravated with the rise in childhood obesity.”
Experts said that the recent spike in the earlier onset of CVDs is probably stemming from easier access to addictions, including tobacco and even social media. “In addition to longer working hours, stress and night shifts etc are taking a toll on the vascular health of individuals. This phenomenon needs to be acknowledged soon and focus should be on stress-relieving measures, dietary discretion, healthy lifestyle including exercise and staying away from addictions. They should be inculcated right from early schooling,” they said.
