Youngsters at a high risk of coronary artery disease

The prevalence of CAD has increased in India gradually during the latter half of last century, particularly among the urban population. Incidence of myocardial infarction in young adults most of them being IT professionals or young adults in low socioeconomic strata involved in manual labour works. Smoking, hypertriglycerdemia, low HDL and high lipoprotein are common risk factors associated myocardial infarction in the young adults.

“Coronary Artery Disease in young adults is about 12-16 percent in India as compared to western population where it is less than five percent. Urban Indians have a   two times higher prevalence of   CAD than their rural counterparts,” said Bharath Kumar G, consultant, cardiology at Gleneagles Global Health City.

Differences in nutritional, environmental and lifestyle factors account for greater vulnerability of urban Indians compared to rural Indians Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in India accounting for approximately 21 percent of deaths in the year 2010, with 10 percent of deaths due to CAD. “The Indian community is liable to develop CAD at a much younger age. Indians are afflicted with CAD about 5-10 years earlier than other ethnic group and have higher incidence of hospitalization, mortality and morbidity than comparable populations of other ethnicity. This is mainly due to superimposition of newer risk factors on a genetically predisposed Indian population. The treatment cost for heart attack is exorbitant, prevention is utmost important,” added Dr Bharath.       

Doctors say that young myocardial infarction patients smoke a greater number of cigarettes per day when compared to older patients. The prevalence of family history and body mass index (BMI) and more central obesity leads to a higher risk among youngsters. It is common to see a large gender bias in the prevalence of myocardial infarction with the vast majority of men being affected with the same.

The conventional risk factors for CAD are hypertension, type 2 diabetes, smoking and obesity. Besides these conventional risk factors novel risk factors like hyperhomocysteinaemia, lipoprotein, illicit drug abuse like cocaine and other hypercoagulable states play a major role in myocardial infarction in young adults. Psychosocial stress and physical inactivity plays an important role in morbidity associated with CAD in young adults.

Cardiologists stress on the need for prevention of myocardial infarction as it can impact on patient’s psychology, ability to work and socioeconomic burden. As the young adult may be the main breadwinner of the family, the aftermath of myocardial infarction can also affects the other dependent family members.

Consequences of myocardial infarction can be devastating particularly at a younger age due to its greater potential impact on patient’s psychology, ability to work and socioeconomic burden. As the young adult may be the main breadwinner of the family, the aftermath of myocardial infarction can also affects the other dependent family members. Short term outcomes of young heart attack are good if treated appropriately whereas the long term prognosis is relatively poor particularly when there is reduced pumping capacity of heart.

“A tread mill test for those smokers will help to evaluate the risk of cardiac issues and similar goes for those who are at a high risk due to genetic issues. Stress cannot be quantified, but a warning signal in case of stress is a chest pain. A cardiac evaluation is necessary immediately in case of chest pain. Exercises like jogging, cycling and swimming should be done regularly to reduce the risk and quitting smoking is the most effective intervention to reduce the risk of CAD,” said Dr Madan Mohan, senior consultant interventional cardiologist, Fortis Malar Hospital.