It used to be thought that heart attacks were largely a problem for the elderly. A heart attack in someone under the age of 55 was uncommon. Lately, however, things seemed to be changing. We’ve lost quite a few famous personalities between the ages of 40 and 50 to heart attacks. Actors Sidharth Shukla and Puneeth Rajkumar suffered cardiac arrest last year. And now, shocking the world of sports and cricket fans, Australian legend Shane Warne passed away on Friday from a heart attack, aged just 52.
In September last year, the cricketer was hospitalized after contracting Covid-19. Warne, a fitness enthusiast, made headlines in 2019 after losing a whopping 15kg.
In view of his death, it is important to think about the cause of heart attacks at such a relatively young age. Experts believe that too much alcohol or fast food consumption, heavy smoking, a sedentary lifestyle and stress are some of the reasons. The World Health Organization (WHO) says heart attacks and strokes are often sudden events caused by a blockage that prevents blood from reaching the heart or brain. Pain or discomfort in the center of the chest, as well as pain or discomfort in the arms, left shoulder, elbows, jaw, or back, are all signs of a heart attack. Apart from that, you may experience difficulty in breathing or shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, light-headedness and cold sweats.
Excessive exercise
We revere fitness icons and athletes as our role models and often spend hours in the gym trying to get in perfect shape, but excessive exercise can lead to ‘oxygen deficiency’ in the heart tissue, causing arrhythmias and death. Also, strenuous exercise often leads to a rise in heart rate and blood pressure, which can cause the arteries to develop microscopic tears, leading to clots. These clots eventually lead to heart attacks. Therefore, practice in moderation.
Sedentary Lifestyle and Chronic Diseases
People of all ages are affected by heart attacks and sudden cardiac death. A heart attack occurs when the blood supply to the heart is interrupted, causing serious damage to the heart. Due to a sedentary lifestyle and other risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes and obesity, cardiovascular disease is on the rise around the world. A heart attack can be caused by drinking, smoking or using addictive substances.
Covid-19, clot formation and genetic factors
One of the reasons we experience heart attacks is because of the formation of clots caused by Covid-19. Even smoking causes the blood to thicken, resulting in clots, which can lead to heart attacks. In addition, genetics is the most crucial component in a heart attack. In addition, if your blood is genetically hypercoagulable, like some people are, you are prone to having a heart attack. High blood pressure, diabetes, cholesterol and a sedentary lifestyle all increase your risk of heart attack.
It is critical for anyone over the age of 30 to have regular heart examinations as advised by their doctor. Apart from that, maintaining an optimal weight through regular moderate exercise and following a balanced diet and keeping yourself free from stress is also good for cardiovascular health.
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