In the United States, the total number of heart attacks is fewer than it has ever been. Isn't it wonderful news? But don't rejoice just yet because there's one serious problem: Heart attacks are becoming more common in young adults under the age of 40, especially those in their twenties and thirties.
Knowing what's causing the surge in heart attacks among young individuals can help you safeguard your health and prevent cardiovascular disease. At Cardio Metabolic Institute, we specialize in analyzing your risk and creating a long-term strategy to help you beat the odds and avoid a heart attack.
Heart attacks are becoming more common in patients aged 20 to 30
Heart attacks were once exclusively a problem for elderly people. A heart attack in someone under the age of 40 was unusual. One in every five heart attack sufferers is now under the age of 40. Another distressing fact to emphasize the issue: A heart attack in your twenties or early thirties is more common. Between 2000 and 2016, the rate of heart attacks in this young age group climbed by 2% every year.
Because you're younger, your outlook isn't improved after a heart attack. Patients in their twenties or thirties who have a heart attack have the same dangers as older patients. Once you have that first heart attack, you have the same chance of dying from a second major heart event or a stroke regardless of your age.
Diabetes is a major risk factor for having a heart attack early in life
Diabetes increases your risk of dying from heart disease by 2-4 times when compared to those who do not have diabetes. The issue arises when your blood sugar is not well managed enough to maintain it within a healthy level. High blood sugar affects your blood vessels, increasing the likelihood of lipids accumulating in your arteries and developing atherosclerosis. Diabetes patients are also more likely to have other chronic health conditions that raise the risk of a heart attack, such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
Hypertension is increasingly being diagnosed in young adults.
Hypertension, often known as high blood pressure, is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Unfortunately, the incidence of hypertension is rising faster in young individuals than in older adults, mirroring the rise in heart attacks. High blood pressure causes heart muscle thickening, damages blood arteries, and increases your risk of having a heart attack.
Obesity and being overweight are major risk factors for heart attacks
For various reasons, being overweight increases your risk of having a heart attack. To begin with, bearing additional weight puts a strain on your heart. Even if you are generally healthy, obesity increases your risk of having a heart attack. Patients who are overweight or obese, on the other hand, frequently have other health concerns that harm their heart health, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol.
Cigarette smoking and vaping are important risk factors for a heart attack
Smoking cigarettes is one of the most significant risk factors for heart attacks in young adults. The quantity of cigarettes you smoke directly and proportionally increases your risk of having a heart attack. When compared to nonsmokers, smoking one pack of cigarettes every day more than doubles your chance of having a heart attack.
While cigarette smoking has a considerably higher risk of triggering a heart attack than vaping, you are not excused if you vape. Nicotine and other harmful substances in e-cigarettes speed up your heart rate and elevate your blood pressure. A recent study discovered that vaping increased your risk of having a heart attack by 34% when compared to non-vapers.
To reduce the rate of heart attacks by conducting new research at the Cardiac Forum...
Author
Kristina Pierce
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