Expert tells WION why have heart problems become prevalent in young people?

Data shows that cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death across the world. Around an estimated, 17.9 million people died from CVDs in 2019, which represents approximately 32 per cent of all global deaths.

Recent data also show a rise in deaths of relatively younger people. After the untimely demise of some celebrities, people were left in a state of shock and grief and also wondering over the growing prevalence of heart attacks in the younger population.

In an exclusive conversation, Dr Praveen Chandra, who is a leading Indian cardiologist and chairman, of interventional cardiology, heart institute, Medanta, Gurugram, India spoke at length regarding CVDs among young people and how to prevent them.

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Dr Chandra said, "Cardiovascular disease or heart disease, in general, is a common cause of death in young and in old also. We have to start looking to prevent heart disease at a younger age."

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"Earlier people thought, it happened only at the age of 60 years, 65 years. And it is OKAY, you can do whatever you want to do, but actually, that's not true."

"Since we have access to so much media that's why we are coming to know of this problem. It's happening earlier also. It's happening in the general population also," Dr Chandra added.

He said that in our country and the Asian subcontinent, the disease is "hitting harder" and among the younger population. It means, people above the age of 30 years or 35 years, have to get a check-up on a very regular basis, which includes basic tests such as blood pressure, cholestrol, diabetes etc.

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Dr Chandra suggests that if preventive measures are followed, then there is a chance one can avoid 80 per cent of heart attacks and heart problems without spending any money.

On being asked about how rigorous exercise and gyming are responsible for heart disease, Dr Chandra said that "gyming is not bad for the heart" but high-intensity exercise should only be done by those body functions are completely normal.

He said, "Everybody should not rush and push to rigorous physical activities."

A cardiac checkup is supposed to be done and one has to know whether the heart can sustain this kind of activity. A treadmill test is a way to know the endurance capacity of one's body and heart to take up a particular level of exercise.

WION also asked how coronavirus (COVID-19) impacted heart problems in the past two years and there have been cases when people were focused on Covid and ignored the signs of heart ailments.

Dr Chandra agreed to it and said there was ignorance as heart diseases were going on during the Covid times. "People were not able to get the tests done, they were not able to consult doctors. So the disease was kind of ignored maybe unintentionally," he said.

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