Cardiac arrest now common among youth, say medicos

CHENNAI: While incidents of cardiac arrests have highlighted the importance of taking early symptoms seriously, health experts point to the changes in lifestyle patterns of youngsters, who are now falling victim to the problem.

“The cause of a sudden heart attack or cardiac arrest largely depends on the age of the person. Most common cause of heart attack is a block in the blood vessel. When blood flow stops to the heart, it causes a heart attack, especially in people above 30 years,” explains Dr S Deep Chand Raja, senior consultant cardiologist and cardiac electrophysiologist, Kauvery Hospital.

Some of the most common symptoms are palpitations, chest discomfort, breathlessness, loss of consciousness and chest pain which are experienced by those who later suffered from cardiac arrest. Doctors say that individuals above the age of 40 years should get a full body test, including, ECG, scan and treadmill test.

Talking about the incidence of cardiac arrest linked with long COVID-19, medical experts say that there’s not enough evidence to link the two. However, COVID-19 can lead to the thickening of the blood that can cause blockages in the heart in some cases, leading to fatal results.

“Cardiac arrest is becoming common among younger adults now due to an increased usage of tobacco, smoking and alcohol, and plus, the sedentary lifestyle. Individuals with a family history of death due to cardiac arrest should also be careful. Sudden chest discomfort or pain, palpitations and burning are signs that should not be ignored,” avers Dr G Bharath Kumar, consultant interventional cardiologist at Gleneagles Global Health City.

He added that those who train in the gym should get a medical evaluation before they go for intensive training. “Avoid stress, or practice meditation. Cut down on smoking. Maintain ideal body weight and do periodical body health check-ups to prevent the risk,” he adds. Though cardiac arrest happens suddenly, there are early symptoms like acidity or gas, discomfort in the chest etc. “Working for several hours without getting adequate sleep or diet can affect your hormones and increase the risk of cardiac arrest. Myocardial infarction is becoming common these days and not everyone’s body can handle this. So, some can have a higher impact than others,” says consultant cardiologist at Apollo Hospitals, Dr Arvind Sampath

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