When a Heart Attack Strikes Before Your Half Century!

Get Well Before the Alarm Bell Rings!

Gone are the days when heart disease, diabetes and blood pressure were confined to the ageing population. Ironically, present world witnesses more cases of juvenile diabetes, adolescent cases of increased BP and younger adults becoming a prey to heart diseases. Call it inactive lifestyle, stressful work atmosphere or competitive academic life, ultimately a vast majority of the younger generation is succumbing to numerous illnesses that were unknown to our previous generations in their younger ages. Most common among them is heart disease. A 30s guy, 40s woman or a 70s grandpa-all of them are clean victims to heart attacks!
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Cardiovascular problems exist as the leading cause of death worldwide. Although it is recommended that every adult goes for a regular check up to the physician and keeps himself/herself updated on his/her body conditions, most individuals confine such master check ups to people aged above 55+ or 60. Wake up, heart attack or stroke do not strike us after confirming the age of the person. It can hit any individual at any age depending on multiple factors and conditions. Common reasons that trigger a heart attack in an individual before the age of 50 include:

Smoking
This is one of the most common yet completely avoidable risk factors that can cause a heart attack. Studies show that smoking increases the risk of heart attack by as much as 8 times. Governments take much steps to caution people against smoking, hoardings show the ill effects of the habit and above all, people are by themselves aware of the dangerous health effects such as lung cancer and cardiovascular problems. Despite all these, desire stops not an individual from smoking. Young people who wish to stay healthy and avoid a heart attack must refrain from smoking.

Pregnancy
Pregnancy is the most joyous period in a woman’s life until she faces complications. People regard childbirth as rebirth of the mom too! When such is the case, issues such as gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, excess weight gain and preterm labor pushes the woman into yet another problem-increased risk of heart disease. That’s primarily because, these conditions trigger artery-related heart issues to a great extent. Also, mothers who deliver preterm babies do so primarily because blood vessels could not withstand the pregnancy pressure any longer and serve as an indicator for future vascular problems in the mother involved.

Familial Hypercholesterolemia (FH)
Usually high cholesterol is a serious risk factor for heart diseases and FH is no exception. It is a genetic disease in which the individual involved suffers from extremely high cholesterol ranges (above 190 mg of LDL or bad cholesterol) since a younger age. A major population of individuals with FH are affected by heart problems-almost 50% men with undiagnosed/untreated FH suffer from a heart attack before they turn 50 and 30% of women with FH are sure to suffer from a heart attack before turning 60. It is required that people with a family history of FH meet a physician and get their exact heart condition diagnosed. Know more about FH by visiting the website www.firsteatright.com.

Depression
This is not only a mental disorder but one that impacts physical health too. That’s because, a stressed/anxious mind does nothing but brood over-you don’t exercise, you don’t eat food regularly or maintain proper meal timings, avoid socializing and above all, don’t sleep regularly. Such haphazard lifestyle practices affect your physical health and it is advisable to meet a physician. Teens or young adults with depression should try counselling as mental depression increases the risk of heart disease even sooner than normal.

Race
Your race could determine your risk of heart disease. Although an irreversible risk factor, if you take all the necessary action to knock off all other risk factors to an extent, it is possible to minimize the risk.