Heart attack was traditionally considered to be a disease of older than 40 years of age. But, in the last decade we have seen more and more young adults experiencing cardiac issues. There has been a dramatic change in the lifestyles of young adults in recent years which has led to an increase in acute coronary syndromes (ACS) including heart attacks. Smoking, physical inactivity and stress are all established high risk factors for cardiac conditions.
Smoking is a major risk factor for heart attacks in young people, and can cause heart attacks at a much younger age than in non-smokers. People who smoke are three times more likely to die of cardiovascular (heart and blood vessel) disease (including heart attack and stroke), compared to people who don’t smoke. Also smokers are at least three times more likely to die from sudden cardiac death. Second-hand smoke or indirect inhalation of smoke while others are smoking is also harmful to health. Long-term exposure to second hand smoke has been shown to cause a 30% increase in the risk of heart disease in non-smokers. Smoking increased the risk of stroke by 40% in men and 60% in women. Apart from this smoking also increases the risk of hypertension, pulmonary circulation diseases, cardiac arrest, aortic aneurysm and cerebrovascular diseases.
Smoking is known to stiffen blood vessels, making it harder for them to expand and contract. This ultimately results in reduced blood flow to the heart causing ischemia and vessels prone to atherosclerosis. Smoking raises the risk of blood clots in coronary and cerebral circulation. Moreover, smoking increases blood pressure, obesity and bad cholesterol levels which in turn are all potent risk factors for cardiovascular disease in young people.
Quitting smoking can substantially reduce the risk of heart attack, especially in individuals who quit at younger ages. The risk of heart attack drops sharply within 1 to 2 years of quitting. The risk of coronary heart disease drops by half within 3 to 6 years of quitting. Quitting also reduces the risk of other circulatory diseases. People who quit smoking cut their risk of abdominal aortic aneurysm in half. The risk of having a stroke or haemorrhage is also reduced. Avoid second-hand smoke. Don’t go to places where smoking is allowed. If you smoke and already have heart disease, quitting reduces your risk of sudden cardiac deaths, heart attacks, and death from other chronic diseases.
(The author, Dr. M Sudhakar Rao, is a Consultant – Cardiology, at Manipal Hospital Sarjapur Road)
