Nerus D’Souza a young businessman returned from work last evening and told his wife that he had been feeling uneasy the entire day. But before his wife could even reach out to him, Nerus collapsed. By the time, his wife could call their doctor, Nerus had passed away. The doctor told his wife that Nerus had suffered a massive heart attacked. 

Similarly, 29-year-old Sushant, a sound engineer had been working continuously for 3days on a project. The pandemic had already taken a toll on his career, so he worked very hard – day in and day out to master his music piece. On the third day, he collapsed on his studio table; he too had died of a cardiac arrest. 

Well, we must have heard such stories often in our neighborhood or may have experienced a similar incident with a family member. This is absolutely worrying, isn’t it? India is witnessing a surge in pre-mature cardiac ailments among young people between the age of 30 and 40yrs. These heart attacks are not the regular ones that usually occur when a person is in their 50s or 60s. The impact of these heart diseases on the productive workforce is huge, and needs urgent attention.

What are ‘Premature Coronary Diseases’?  Premature Coronary Artery Disease (premature CAD) refers to the atherosclerotic narrowing of Coronary Arteries in younger people that may lead to Angina and/or Myocardial Infarction with the progressive development of stenosis or plaque rupture of the arterial wall. This happens for two reasons – one, if there is a family history of premature CAD. and because of Diabetes or following bad and stressful lifestyle.

What are the causes and who are at risk? There are some modifiable causes and some non-modifiable causes. People having a history of premature cardiac ailments within the family, and people with Diabetes are those who come under the non-modifiable risk factors. However, people accustomed to smoking, low physical activity, Hypertension and stress, inadequate sleep, Hypercholesterolemia, and Obesity are those who come under the modifiable risk factors.

Do not ignore these signs & symptoms of premature CAD:

• Chest pain (Angina)
• New onset of shortness of breath 
• When someone has developed shortness of breath while bending down
• Excessive sweating
• The feeling of gastro distress and acidity

Things that people with non-modifiable causes should do to prevent premature heart ailments:

• Ensure that you undertake regular screening of your Heart
• Engage in some regular physical activity to stay fit
• Consume a healthy diet
• Avoid junk food
• Avoid smoking and alcohol
• Have a good sleep every day
• Do not engage in any very heavy physical activity that your body is not accustomed to

Things to change for a healthy life: Rising incidence of premature CAD rings an alarm on the kind of lives we lead and the food we eat. This means these incidences will continue to rise if we do not change our lifestyle. It is important to stay away from junk food, smoking, alcohol, and lead an active & healthy life. Also, while engaging in any exercises, do not engage in anything that the body is not able to handle. In the end, our body is our temple, we must care about it and worship its significance. A healthy heart will lead to a healthy mind, and long life, and vice-versa.