By Dr. S. P.Pradhan on 27th September, 2025
Heart attack in young adults are common nowadays due to faulty life styles, stress, hypertension and substance abuse. Sudden cardiac death trend is fast rising.
What is Young age Heart Attack?
If heart attack seen in a person below 40 years old it is called as Young age heart attack.
- Even people in their 20s or 30s can get heart attack.
- The incidence of such cases are fast rising nowadays.
- These are the cases of sudden cardiac deaths causing a huge burden on the society both socially and economically.
Risk Factors for Young age heart attacks?
- Stress: It is one of the major risk factor nowadays. Stress aggravates other risk factors like diabetes or hypertension. Stress also raises cortisol level which in turn compromise cardiac profile.
- Hypertension: Change in lifestyle like poor sleep, stress, over the counter drugs , familial history can all lead to hypertension. Sedentary lifestyle can aggravate this condition.
- Familial history of high Cholesterol or hypercholesterolemia: Cholesterol get deposited in major arteries blocking the blood flow to major organs like heart, brain. It gradually increases in size blocking the lumen of arteries resulting in ischemia. Later it leads to necrosis or cell death. This manifests as sudden heart attack.
- Diabetes : Young adults can have both Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. It is a metabolic disease resulting in high blood sugar level. Diabetes affects the plaque formation in heart vessels as we have discussed above resulting in compromised cardiac blood flow.
- Poor diet: Young adults are very fond of taking fast foods, deep fried foods, ulta processed foods. Fast foods or deep fried foods contain trans fats which get blocked in major blood vessels resulting poor cardiac flow. These foods lead to high cholesterol level affecting cardiac health.
- Poor Sleep: Poor sleep quality increase stress level, hormonal imbalance, aggravating diabetes or hypertension.
- Substance Abuse: Some drugs like cocaine abuse may cause sudden cardiac attack. Young adults must refrain themselves from falling prey to such habits.
- Post Covid: Post Covid may be a potential risk of heart attack. If so, thiThis is alarming.
Symptoms of sudden heart attack:
Symptoms also called as warning signs ⚠️
Typical symptoms:
- Chest pain or discomfort – It is described as pressure, squeezing or stabbing pain in the center or left side of the chest, lasting more than a few minutes.
- Pain or discomfort in other areas or radiating pain– Pain may radiate to left arm arms , back, neck, jaw usually on left side.
- Shortness of breath – It may occur with or without chest pain.
- Cold sweat, nausea or vomiting
- Lightheadedness, dizziness, or fainting may be seen.
⚠️ Emergency call: If somebody has chest pain, especially with any of these other symptoms, call emergency services immediately (e.g., 911 in the U.S. or 108 in India).
How to get rid of Risk factors?
- Take adequate sleep for 7 to 9 hours.
- Do relaxation exercises like Yoga or Pranayama.
- Do at least 30 minutes of aerobic exercises daily.
- Avoid substance abuse or society that prompt substance abuse.
- Take adequate green vegetables or fruits- As these kind of foods are rich in fiber and antioxidants keeping our heart healthy.
- Try to avoid fast foods, deep fried foods or minimize ultra processed foods.
