“Too Young” For a Heart Attack? Think Again! Heart Attack Striking Youngers Even Under the 20s!

What really is behind the rise in heart attacks among young people? High blood pressure, diabetes, being overweight, and family health history are some common risk factors. Understanding your risk factors and taking care of your heart helps to prevent heart attacks.

The average heart attack age is now younger than ever before! It has been recorded within the age below 20- 30 years. To find conclusive reasons behind this risk, medical professionals around the world are working. So far, they have understood a few factors like lack of physical activity, chronic diseases, and other reasons that may be leading to cardiovascular disease.

Major Risk Factors

There are many risk factors for heart attack and some of them can be controlled with small lifestyle changes.

Chronic Conditions

Diabetes, high cholesterol, and blood pressure are three primary risk factors putting youngsters at risk for heart attack at an early age. High blood sugar damages blood vessels and it increases the chances of fat clogging up arteries. While hypertension is rising faster in your adults because of lifestyle and related health conditions including overweight, genetic disorders, and others. High blood pressure makes heart muscles thicken and harms blood vessels.  This led to an increase in heart attacks.

Common Bad Habits

Bad habits like smoking, vaping, and drug abuse also lead to a number of health issues that may raise the risk of a heart attack in youngsters. According to a recent study conducted by the American College of Cardiology, “vaping made you 34% more likely to have a heart attack compared with non-vapers”. 1 The experts are also studying the effects of drug use and how it takes a toll on heart rate and blood pressure.

Inactive Lifestyle

Not doing enough physical exertion can build up fatty material in the blood vessels that lead to a heart attack at a young age. Unhealthy foods are responsible for developing high blood sugar levels, BP, cholesterol, and other types of diseases.

Worst Eating Habits

Adding too much sodium, saturated fats, sugary snacks, and trans fats to the daily diet can lead to heart problems. Additionally, persistent stress, too much caffeine intake, dehydration, and bad eating habits are other factors that can increase the chances of heart attacks in youngsters.

Additionally, COVID- 19 have worsened the situation. Many studies notice a substantial surge in the risk of cardiovascular diseases among COVID -19 survivors.  However, the risk of death remains higher in the aged survivors. 1

Know Your Early Symptoms

Here are the very first symptoms of heart attack;

• Chest pain or discomfort

• Squeezing and fullness

• Breathing issues

• Fatigue and sweating

• Sensation of different body parts

• Heartburn and pain in abdominal

• Fullness, nausea, and vomiting

• Pressure and fainting

If you recognize these symptoms quickly, it will help in the prevention of heart attacks. You can do an electrocardiogram (ECG) test immediately in a suspected heart attack.

Dr Trust ECG machine can enable you to get a personal ECG done at home on anywhere, anytime. This pen size device is the fastest and most efficient method to check ECG data without being admitted to the hospital.

Everyday Lifestyle Changes Help to prevent Heart Attack

Switch to a healthy lifestyle early to see big benefits! Many heart attacks can be avoided by bringing healthy habits into your lifestyle.

Be Active

Body movement helps make your heart stronger! Following an active lifestyle by adding running, cycling, and swimming to your routine will strengthen your heart health. Workouts, training sessions, and daily walks keep your heart rate elevated. These activities also improve blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Eating Incredible Heart-Healthy Food Items

Fill your plate with green veggies, colorful fruits, whole grains, proteins, and healthy fats. Lessen the intake of sugar, sweets, and red meats. Food items like poultry, legumes, fish, nuts, vegetable oils, fish and, Omega-3 may cut down your cholesterol level and prevent blood clots. You can also consider using a nutrition app for the best meal planning with professional assistance.

Download Dr Trust 360 app for the right meal planning. It also provides support for hypertension management, diabetes management, weight management, and many more.

Limit Your Food Portions

Be mindful of what you are eating daily! Embracing a healthy diet while remaining conscious of portions can also lessen the risk of heart health issues. Weigh nutrient-rich foods to intake only healthy portions daily. Bring home a handy kitchen scale to measure the portion sizes accurately.

Start Physical Health Monitoring at Young Age

Keeping a record of your physical health can indicate risks associated with heart attacks timely. Physical monitoring involves the checking of parameters-body weight, blood pressure, pulse rate, respiration rate, saturation, etc., using standardized devices. Your parameters vary depending on your fitness.

Know Your Family’s Health History

Get to know your family history because sometimes you will suffer the same health issue as other family members. If you have a history of cardiovascular issues, bring it to your doctor's notice and discuss any concerns you may have.

Work with your doctor to lessen your risk factors

A physician can help detect potential risk factors including high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. Discuss any symptoms you have noted with your physician and start taking medications as directed.

Break Your Bad Habits

Quit smoking, alcohol, and drugs as they are key risk factors contributing to heart attacks in youngsters. Replace these unhealthy habits with healthy ones.

Saving young lives which we are missing due to heart attacks is the need of the hour. Explore here a wide range of health monitoring devices including Blood pressure monitors with AFIB technology, glucometers, ECG device, pulse oximeters, and intelligent health monitoring watches that evaluates your health information to indicate your cardiovascular risk factors regardless of your age.