Why Are Heart Attacks Becoming Common Among The Youth?

PWOnlyIAS December 20, 2023 05:18 2025 0

The occurrence of heart attacks among young youth has increased in recent years, which is a worrying trend. A heart attack is a medical condition in which a blood clot blocks blood flow to the heart. Lack of blood supply causes heart tissue to die.

Why Are Heart Attacks Becoming Common Among The Youth?

Context: In recent years, the incidence of heart attacks among youths has drastically increased.

What is Heart Attack?

Heart Attacks

About: A heart attack is a medical condition in which a blood clot blocks blood flow to the heart.
- Lack of blood supply causes heart tissue to die.
Occurrence: When the heart is unable to pump blood to all organs of the body.
- It mainly takes place due to obstruction in arteries carrying blood to the heart.
Symptoms: Common symptoms of heart attacks include pain in the chest, neck, back, or arms, as well as fatigue, lightheadedness, abnormal heartbeat, and anxiety.
Vulnerability: Patients with diabetes and other chronic health diseases have a significantly higher risk of a heart attack.
Other Causes: Consuming tobacco, alcohol, and drugs such as cocaine.
Treatment: Coronary angioplasty and primary angioplasty.
Other Treatment: Medicine for blood thinning and stress relievers.

Heart Attack Deaths

About: Heart disease is a major cause of death across the world and its prevalence has risen in India over the past five years.
Global Prevalence: Affecting every other young person between the ages of 30 and 40.
- Globally, 17.9 million people died from Cardiovascular diseases in 2019, representing 32% of all global deaths. Of these deaths, 85% were due to heart attack and stroke.
Prevalence of Heart Attacks in India: According to the ICMR report, heart diseases accounted for 28.1% of the deaths in India in 2016. The corresponding figure in 1990 was 15.2%. Here is the latest data on Heart Attacks in India;
- In 2020, of the total 2,50,983 deaths registered in the country, 25.43% were due to heart attacks.
- The cardiovascular disease death rate is 272 per 100,000, compared with the global average of 235 per 100,000.

Reasons for the rise in Heart Attacks in Youth

Changing Lifestyle: The rise in heart-related issues is attributed to today’s fast-paced lifestyle and changes in habits. A sedentary lifestyle has accentuated the problem.
Lifestyle Diseases: An increase in lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, stress, hypertension, insomnia, etc have contributed to heart diseases.
Human Vices: Bad habits such as smoking, consumption of alcohol, use of drugs, nutrient-poor foods, etc have increased the risks.
Lack of Exercise: Due to limited physical exercise, cholesterol levels in the body increase. This puts additional stress on the heart.
Chronic stress: The competitive modern life often subjects young individuals to chronic stress, leading to the release of hormones like cortisol and adrenaline, which can prove deadly over time.
Long-term Effect of COVID-19: Studies have shown that youths who have recovered from severe COVID-19 infection are vulnerable to heart attacks.

What is the role of modern lifestyle on heart attacks?

Fast-paced Lifestyle: The rise in heart-related issues is attributed to today’s fast-paced lifestyle and changes in habits. A sedentary lifestyle has accentuated the problem.
Rise in Diseases: An increase in lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, stress, hypertension, insomnia, etc have contributed to heart diseases.

Can Covid-19 increase the risk of Heart Attacks?

Relation: Studies have pointed out that COVID-19 increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. This is due to the inflammation that occurs throughout the body in severe cases.
Role of the Virus: There is no clear evidence to say that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, directly affects blood vessels.
- However, a study of the heart tissue of infected patients found viral RNA in the arterial walls than in the surrounding fat tissue.
- The infected cells, which were macrophages, help remove cholesterol from blood vessels. When they are laden with cholesterol, they are known as foam cells.
- Accumulation of foam cells within arteries forms plaques that are a hallmark of atherosclerosis. This condition contributes to heart attacks and strokes.

Impact of Heart Attacks

Financial Burden: The treatment of heart disease can be a burden on the individual and the family when it occurs at a young age.
Affects Normal Functioning: An individual’s normal life gets affected due to heart attacks. Their food choice, lifestyle, as well as bodily functions are affected.
Social Impact: Relationships with friends and family can be affected due to heart conditions. People may also suffer from loneliness.
Mental Wellbeing: There are chances that mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, and PTSD can develop after cardiac events.
Sexual Life: People recovering from cardiac-related events hesitate to resume their sexual life for fear of relapse of the condition.

What is the Socioeconomic burden of heart disease?

Financial Burden: The treatment of heart disease can be a burden on the individual and the family when it occurs at a young age.
Social Burden: An individual’s normal life gets affected due to heart attacks. Their food choice, lifestyle, as well as bodily functions are affected.

How to Overcome Risks of Heart Diseases?

Healthy Food Habits: Adopting healthy food habits can help mitigate cardiovascular risk factors and promote overall well-being.
- There is a need to inculcate fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, nuts, and seeds into the diet.
Limited Uptake of Sugar and Salts: Consumption of sugar and salts must be within limits to enable cardiovascular health.
Regular Exercise: Regular physical exercise keeps cholesterol under control. It allows the heart to function optimally.
Mental Peace: It is necessary to keep stress levels under check. This can be achieved through yoga and meditation.

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Heart Attacks FAQs

Common symptoms include chest, neck, back, or arm pain, fatigue, lightheadedness, abnormal heartbeat, and anxiety. Vulnerable individuals, like those with diabetes, face higher risks.

Incidents of heart attacks among youth have drastically increased, attributed to a fast-paced lifestyle, rising lifestyle diseases, and the long-term effects of COVID-19.

Studies suggest COVID-19 increases heart attack risk due to inflammation. The virus indirectly affects blood vessels, contributing to atherosclerosis, a precursor to heart attacks and strokes.

Adopting healthy food habits, limiting sugar and salt intake, engaging in regular exercise, and maintaining mental peace through activities like yoga and meditation can mitigate cardiovascular risk factors.

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Why Are Heart Attacks Becoming Common Among The Youth?

What is Heart Attack?

Heart Attack Deaths

Reasons for the rise in Heart Attacks in Youth

What is the role of modern lifestyle on heart attacks?

Can Covid-19 increase the risk of Heart Attacks?

Impact of Heart Attacks

What is the Socioeconomic burden of heart disease?

How to Overcome Risks of Heart Diseases?

Heart Attacks FAQs

What are the common symptoms of a heart attack in youths?

How has the prevalence of heart attacks changed in recent years, especially among the youth?

Can Covid-19 increase the risk of heart attacks, and what is the role of the virus in cardiovascular health?

What measures can individuals take to overcome the risks of heart disease?

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