Heart Attack: Why have heart attack cases increased so much in the last five years? Understand why from the experts

The risk of cardiovascular diseases is seen to be increasing globally, with younger people even those under the age of 20 being at risk. You may also often hear and read about heart attacks and cardiac arrests. Such news has been heard more often in recent years.

A similar case was reported on Thursday (October 3) in which former Jammu and Kashmir minister and BJP candidate from Surankot, Syed Mushtaq Ahmed Bukhari, died of a heart attack at the age of 75. Earlier on Tuesday (October 1), a 37-year-old man died of a heart attack while shopping at a showroom in Hyderabad.

The figures coming out regarding heart attacks are quite frightening. Only 0.3% of U.S. adults aged 18 to 44 had a heart attack in the year 2019, according to data from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). Heart attack cases in this age group are still considered rare, although it has increased significantly in the last four to five years.

Rising risk in young people
NCHS data shows that while heart attacks have been considered far more common in older people, younger populations are also becoming victims of them for a variety of reasons. Drs. The problem of obesity can be considered a factor for the increasing cases of heart attacks and cardiovascular diseases worldwide, says Andrew Moran. Although the problem of obesity is seen in people of all age groups, the risk of it is increased in the younger population.

If weight is controlled, the risk of heart disease can be greatly reduced.

Increased risk during the pandemic
The coronavirus pandemic has affected heart health in many ways, health experts say. The lockdown during the pandemic increased people's physical inactivity, which has increased obesity and cardiovascular health problems caused by it. In addition, several studies make it clear that COVID-19 has caused serious damage to the cardiovascular system. Myocarditis has been reported in many people who have been infected. The adverse effects of the virus on the heart muscle have led to chronic heart conditions.

Scary statistics

One study found that the number of heart attack deaths was 30% higher than expected among 25- to 44-year-olds during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic. Similarly, another study found that the US. Four out of every 100 people have had a heart-related problem within a year of recovering from COVID-19.

Given the increased risks, cardiologists said, we must pay attention to risk factors such as obesity and hypertension, which are increasing the risk of heart disease in young adults.

What do the experts say?
In an interview with Amar Ujala, Dr. Niranjan Hiremath, a cardiac surgeon at Apollo Hospital, says, "Cases of heart attack and cardiac arrest have happened before but it is relatively more reported now. Certainly, the coronavirus pandemic has severely affected cardiovascular health and has also increased deaths from it in the past few years. You can protect against your risks by reducing habits such as obesity, lifestyle disturbances, and smoking.

It is the biggest mistake to think that heart disease only occurs with age. From children to the elderly, everyone needs to take precautions to prevent it.

(PC: Freepik)