Heart attacks are increasing in young adults under the age of 40. Heart attacks are on the rise in patients aged 20-30 years’ old Knowing what’s behind the rise in heart attacks in young adults can help you take steps to protect your health and prevent cardiovascular disease.

Not long ago, heart attacks were primarily a problem faced by older adults. It was rare for anyone younger than 40 to have a heart attack. Now 1 in 5 heart attack patients are younger than 40 years of age.   Here’s another troubling fact to highlight the problem: Having a heart attack in your 20s or early 30s is more common.

Patients who have a heart attack in their 20s or 30s face the same risks as older patients. Once you have that first heart attack, you have the same chance of dying from a second major heart event or a stroke regardless of your age.

1 – Diabetes is a key risk factor for an early heart attack, if you have diabetes, you’re 2-4 times more likely to die from heart disease compared with adults who don’t have diabetes.

2 – Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is one of the biggest risk factors for cardiovascular disease. High blood pressure makes your heart muscles thicken, harms your blood vessels, and increases your risk of a heart attack.

3 – Overweight and Obesity are key players in heart attacks, being overweight has a significant influence on your risk of having a heart attack for several reasons. For starters, carrying extra weight places a high demand on your heart. Obesity alone makes you more likely to have a heart attack even if you’re otherwise healthy.

4 – Smoking cigarettes and vaping are major risk factors for a heart attack. Smoking cigarettes is one of the top risk factors. Your risk of a heart attack increases in direct proportion to the number of cigarettes you smoke. Smoking one pack a day more than doubles your risk for a heart attack compared with nonsmokers.

5 – Drugs Substance abuse takes a toll on your heart, the experts are still studying the effect of marijuana on your heart, but they know that it boosts your heart rate and raises your risk of having a heart attack. Cocaine’s impact on your heart, however, is well established. Cocaine increases your heart rate, tightens your blood vessels, and raises your blood pressure, all of which are associated with heart attacks.

Many heart attacks are preventable because you can change your risk factors by making lifestyle changes and taking medications if needed to protect your health. You can get all the support you need to prevent a heart attack by consulting medical professional.

Medical Disclaimer

Bright Star website does not contain medical advice. The contents of this website, such as text, graphics, images, and other material are intended for informational and educational purposes only and not for the purpose of rendering medical advice. The contents of this website are not intended to substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment.

Please consult your physician for personalized medical advice. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions regarding a medical condition. 

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