Factors Causing Heart Attacks in Young Adults

Family history is not the only contributing factor for heart attacks in young adults. There are other factors like smoking, obesity and previous history of hypertension, diabetes.

Young heart attack victims are more likely to be smokers, obese, and have high blood pressure or diabetes compared to their peers, according to research presented at ESC Congress 2021.

A new study shows that while the parental history of a premature heart attack is linked to heart events at a young age, it is not the only contributing factor.

Heart Attack - Overview
Heart attack is the death of the heart muscle due to loss of blood supply. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Other names for heart attack include acute myocardial infarction, coronary thrombosis, and coronary occlusion.

TOP INSIGHT

Avoid smoking and maintain a healthy weight to prevent premature heart attack risk in young adults.

“The findings underline the importance of preventing smoking and overweight in children and adolescents in order to reduce the likelihood of heart disease later in life,” said study author Professor Harm Wienbergen of the Bremen Institute for Heart and Circulation Research, Germany.

Understanding the reasons for heart attacks in young adults is important from a societal perspective due to their employment and family responsibilities.

This study compares the clinical characteristics of patients randomly selected according to age and gender, admitted to hospital with acute myocardial infarction at 45 years of age or younger from the general population in the same geographic region in Germany.

Tips to Prevent Heart Attacks
Heart Attack occurs when the flow of oxygenated blood to heart muscles is hindered or stopped due to built-up of plaques in coronary arteries. Heart Attack is the No.1 killer among Indians.

Researchers analyzed the independent risk factors for the occurrence of acute myocardial infarction at 45 years of age or younger. The analysis was adjusted for age, sex, high blood pressure, diabetes, active smoking, body mass index, alcohol consumption, years of school education, and birth in Germany.

Having hypertension was associated with 85-fold odds of a heart attack aged 45 or under. Alcohol consumption was associated with a lower odds of heart attack at a young age with an odds ratio of 0.3.

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The corresponding odds of a premature heart attack associated with active smoking, diabetes mellitus, parental history and obesity (BMI 30 kg/m2 or above) were 12, 5, 3 and 2.

These findings suggest that family history is not the only predisposing factor for early heart attacks. They also add stimulus to the argument that young people should be educated about why it is important to avoid smoking and have a healthy body weight.

Cycling, Walking to Work can Reduce Heart Attack Risk
Attention, Workaholics: Walking and cycling to work regularly can lower the risk of getting a heart attack. So, hurry up, let's start walking and pedaling towards better heart health.

Source-Medindia