Unhealthy lifestyle is one of the prime reasons, say experts
Youth in the city are paying the price of urbanisation! This sentiment is widely shared by majority of cardiologists. The reason for such assessment is the alarming regularity in cases in which youngsters (20 years and 30 years) are admitted to hospitals with heart episodes.
Earlier, the average age of persons suffering from heart attacks was 40 years. At present, the age has come down to below 30 years. On an average, a cardiologist treats at least five to six young patients, who need angioplasty, a surgical process that involves opening blocked arteries.
A vital fact that everybody forgets is that once a person crosses teenage years blockage in arteries starts. “The speed at which the level of blockages increases depends on several factors. The prime reason being the lifestyle of the young, which is speeding up the blockages. This is causing heart ailments among the young people,” says senior Interventional Cardiologist, Yashoda Hospitals, Dr. K. Pramod Kumar.
Tobacco addiction has also increased. “Smoking is a big reason for the young to fall prey to heart ailments. In our practice, a majority of the young who have heart ailments have the habit of smoking. Almost every youngster these days is addicted to tobacco and this is taking its toll,” says Head of Cardiology, Apollo Hospitals Secunderabad, Dr. J. Shiva Kumar.
Experts assert that 10 to 15 per cent of the youngsters who come with heart ailments do not have any habits or underlying condition. “This could be due to either genetic disposition or high levels of stress that one has to face in Hyderabad,” Dr. Shiva Kumar adds.
Junk food is also a by-product of urbanisation. “Go to any junk food joint. They are full with overweight teens addicted to high fat and high cholesterol food. Junk food is another major factor that is claiming the lives of the young,” Dr. Pramod laments.
Physicians add that most of the youngsters falling prey to heart ailments are highly educated. “They are educated but are not aware. Many just neglect until the heart block, which was only 30 per cent initially graduates to 70 per cent. Doctors have very less time to save such young lives,” cardiologists add.
Keywords: Cardiac diseases, unhealthy lifestyle, smoking
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