The author of this article is Dr. Ravi Gupta, Consultant Cardiologist, Wockhardt Hospital
In the past 2 months there has been an increase in heart attack cases in the emergency ward. Heart attack is majorly affecting the younger generation from the age group of 25-year-old. Recently a 28 yo patient named Abhijeet Kadam was diagnosed with heart attack at the emergency ward of Wockhardt Hospital, Mumbai Central. The patient has complained of chest pain, radiating to the left hand and was under stress from the past 3-4 days which have resulted in myocardial infarction. On consultation with the family doctor, he was advised for hospitalization.
Dr Ravi Gupta, Consultant Cardiologist Wockhardt Hospital, Mumbai Central says, “Unfortunately, in our country many young people are getting heart attacks which go unnoticed. Every year the cases are increasing in India. The cases of Heart attack have gone up by 15% to 20% in the past 2 months. The reasons behind the young heart attacks are diabetes, sedentary lifestyle, air pollution, stress, heavy workout, steroids etc. Also, Asian Indians are genetically prone to develop heart attacks, on top of that, adoption of western lifestyle which leads to further mutation in that defective gene makes Indians more prone to heart attacks. Even during COVID many young people died of heart attacks as COVID was not only a disease of lungs but of inflammation as well. Even if you don’t have any symptoms, you must check your diabetes and blood pressure regularly. At a time when sugar or BP is high, you’re not aware of it, initially these two things give no prior symptoms. For keeping your heart health proper, you must take a stress test, 2D Echo, Cholesterols and ECG.”
When the patient was taken to emergency room ECG revealed “Anterior Wall Myocardial Infraction” and immediately, he was taken for a coronary angiography on the same day of the admission. The coronary angiography was suggestive as the biggest artery LAD was 100 percent occluded with clot which was removed followed by stent. The patient is stable, recovered and discharged in last week.
An estimated 17.9 million people perished due to CVDs in 2019, contributing to 32 percent of deaths globally. Out of all the people who died from CVD, 85 percent suffered a stroke and heart attack. Further, a quarter of these CVD deaths occur in low and middle-income countries, according to the World Health Organization.
