Over the past few years, heart attacks have become more common than ever among all ages. Poor lifestyle, unhealthy eating patterns and lack of physical activity are some of the major contributors.
Sunjay Kapur died on June 12 (Thursday) after suffering a heart attack during a polo match
Bollywood actress Karisma Kapoor's ex-husband, Sunjay Kapur, died on June 12 (Thursday) after suffering a heart attack during a polo match in England. According to sources, the 53-year-old industrialist felt suffocated while playing polo and requested to stop the game. He then left the ground and thereafter suffered a heart attack and died.
Over the past few years, heart attacks have become more common than ever among all ages. A significant rise in heart attack incidents has been observed, especially in youngsters in recent years. Poor lifestyle, unhealthy eating patterns and lack of physical activity are some of the major contributors.
We spoke to Dr Kaushal Chhatrapati, Interventional Cardiologist at Saifee Hospital, Mumbai to understand why heart attacks are on the rise and what should individuals do to reduce the risk.
Why heart attacks on a rise?
"The lifestyle is altered tremendously. Previously, individuals used to walk to purchase groceries or to visit friends. Nowadays, everything is within one click away. The ease has been bought at the expense of mobility. Throw in the rising popularity of fast food, which is rich in calories, sugar and refined carbohydrates, and it is a prescription towards heart disease. To give an example, one fast-food meal may contain more than half of the daily amount of calories that your body requires, but it will not contain any nutritional value," Dr Chhatrapati said.
"There is also increased smoking and vaping particularly among the youth. The emergence of new trends, such as e-cigarettes, and the misperception of smoking as a technique of weight management have become popular, even among women of a young age. Smoking has been considered one of the greatest risk factors of heart attack and even teens are not an exception," he added.
Another critical factor is stress. The human body is built to handle short bursts of stress. But modern stress is constant-deadlines, job pressure, commuting, financial burdens-and it keeps stress hormones elevated. This leads to an increase in heart rate, blood pressure, and long-term wear on the cardiovascular system.
What should you do?
"The basic principles of heart health remain the same-eat a balanced diet, exercise regularly, avoid junk The fundamentals of cardiovascular health have not changed- maintaining a healthy diet, physical activity, staying clear of junk food, tobacco, and alcohol, and never skipping preventive screenings. Such conditions as diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol levels must be addressed early enough- and the treatment has to be regular," the expert advised.
Sleep is vital. If forced to choose between exercise and 8 hours of sleep, sleep should be prioritised. It's essential for the body's recovery and hormone regulation.
Genetics: An important factor
"Among them is the belief that slimness and physical activity automatically translate into normal cholesterol levels. The truth is that 85% percent of high cholesterol is hereditary. An individual may have an absolutely healthy lifestyle, and still require medication. This is why it is important to screen your cholesterol, HbA1c (three-month average blood sugar), and blood pressure regularly these are the silent conditions which can stay unnoticed for years."
"Genetics is also a significant factor. The thrifty gene increased the genetic susceptibility of heart disease amongst Indians. This sets the body up to be a fat storing machine especially around the belly- a form of truncal obesity that is strongly correlated with diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. The combination of these creates metabolic syndrome that is a major cardiovascular risk factor," Dr Chhatrapati added.
"The most reliable way to safeguard heart health is through annual screenings. These should include LDL cholesterol, 2D echo, stress test, and a comprehensive metabolic panel. Without testing, there's no way to know what's truly happening inside the body. Ultimately, heart attacks often strike without warning. Prevention, early detection, and lifestyle changes are the only way to reduce that risk," he concluded.
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for a qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.
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