After the sudden demise of Actor Siddharth Shukla at the age of 40. People are in shock as to how can someone have a cardiac arrest at such a young age. As per the report from Siddharth’s family . He complained of having chest pain on Thursday around 3 am in the morning. But later he went to sleep but Siddharth didn’t wake up in the morning. On Thursday, around 10.15am doctors at the Cooper hospital in Mumbai declared him dead.
Siddharth’s sudden death due to cardiac arrest has brought attention towards the rising number of cases of heart disease among young people. Even though they are seemingly fit, people in their 30s and 40s are falling prey to this. In July, filmmaker and Mandira Bedi’s husband Raj Kaushal passed away at the age of 49 after suffering a cardiac arrest and in April, actor Amit Mistry died of heart attack at the age of 47. According to doctors “cases of heart attacks among younger age groups are increasing alarmingly”.
“In my clinical practice, two out of 10 patients are in the 30-40 age bracket,” says Dr Brajesh Kunwar, Head-Interventional Cardiology, Fortis Hiranandani Hospital, Vashi, Mumbai. Dr Tilak Suvarna, Senior Interventional Cardiologist, Asian Heart Institute, adds, “Even in young adults, it is the conventional heart disease risk factors that account for the majority of heart attacks. These conventional risk factors include diabetes, high blood pressure, family history, high cholesterol and smoking.” Many medical experts are trying to explain why heart disease are so fatal for young people and what are the warning signs of this.
Why you should not avoid any discomfort?
People at the age of 30s and 40s tend to think that they are less likely to fall to heart attack. Because of their age Dr TS Kler, Chairman, Fortis Heart and Vascular Institute, FMRI, Gurugram, says, “Young people often tend to ignore or not report discomfort, or mistake it for gas, which causes the heart attack – when it occurs – to be massive and instantly fatal.
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Young people don’t expect that their arteries will get blocked because of their age. So, they don’t go for annual check-ups. One should go for regular check-ups if one has a family history of heart disease and is above the age of 25. Recovered covid patients should ensure to go for regular check up every six months and should begin exercise slowly. If there is a family history of cardiac arrest than one should be aware and very careful about this. It is important to manage it through lifestyle modifications such as yoga, meditation and physical exercise.
Working out and looking fit doesn’t mean healthy
Often people have this misconception that if they workout daily and build muscles that means they are fit. No! that’s totally a wrong concept. Being fit doesn’t mean outer appearance. But also means inner strength. Having a good healthy diet, sleep and working out all together helps a person to stay fit. “I feel, the most critical reason for heart attacks in the younger population, even among those who are fitness freaks and are very particular about their diet, is stress (either at work or in a personal relationship). Factors like smoking further add to this,” says Dr Brajesh Kunwar.
Dr Haresh G Mehta, Consultant Interventional Cardiologist, SL Raheja Hospital, adds, “Today, many youngsters have an unhealthy lifestyle, which includes excessive stress, lack of sleep, alcohol intake, smoking, unsafe supplements, slimming pills, and excess exercise. . “Speak to your doctor for proper guidance on diet, supplements and exercise,” he adds. Dr Mukesh Goel, Senior Consultant, Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgeon, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, New Delhi, says, “You could achieve fitness by going to the gym, but you can’t get healthy. Fitness and health are entirely different and should not be confused with each other.
That does not mean that you should not go to the gym. People should keep in mind that after 25, every person should schedule an annual health check-up. They should focus on a heart-healthy diet which is a balance of carbs, fats and protein.
