Heart attack in young people: Doctor explains ‘silent killers’

In the last two years, we have been exposed to the bitter truth about heart attacks that even younger people are at equal risks. Some of these people have been celebrities who looked good on screen and seemed very fit in their chiselled physique. Yet, they fell victim to heart attacks.

We posed this question to Dr OP Yadava, CEO, National Heart Institute and he said, “We should better be using the term ‘apparently fit’. Fitness is not just on the surface. This is something which has to be examined and declared fit. Did they have their blood pressure and sugar levels recorded? Because both of these are silent killers. They don’t produce any symptoms.”

He added, “We also need to examine if there was any substance abuse. They could have absolutely normal weight, but did they have visceral obesity? Were they smokers? The amount of stress they go through. We need to look into all these things.”

“If you have any symptoms in your chest that you can’t explain then you should go for check-up. Unexplained chest discomfort, palpitation and respiratory issues shouldn’t be taken lightly,” Dr Yadava added.

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In a nutshell, a person has to be very careful about the functioning of their heart. Even a slight discomfort can lead to bigger problems, and vigilance can be the best cure.

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