Sonali Phogat dies at 42: Why heart attacks are rising among young Indians?

BJP leader Sonali Phogat, on Tuesday, died in Goa of a heart attack. A TikTok star, Phogat had contested the 2019 elections from Haryana's Adampur and lost. The news of her death was confirmed by Haryana BJP chief OP Dhankar who said, "She has passed away. I have been given information that she was in Goa."

On Monday night, she was brought to St Anthony Hospital at Anjuna in North Goa district after she complained of uneasiness, sources said. Deputy Superintendent of Police (Mapusa) Jivba Dalvi said she was brought dead to the hospital. "Prime facie, the cause of death is established as a heart attack but further medical examination is on," he said.

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The untimely demise of Phogat has surely stunned her millions of admirers. In recent years, many famous TV and film personalities have suffered from fatal cardiac arrests in their 30s and 40s. The list includes Rituparno Ghosh (aged 49), Raj Kaushal (49), Vivek Shauq (47), and Siddharth Shukla (40), among others. 

While heart attacks were a danger attached mostly to older adults till a couple of decades ago, the 21st century has brought a rise in untimely heart attacks in people under 50 years, especially in India.

Young Indians and increased risk of heart attacks 

A 2005 study published in the Vascular Health journal by Indian researchers Meenakshi Sharma and Nirmal Kumar Ganguly explained that young Indians falling in the age group of 35 to 45 years are more sensitive to premature Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) and can die 10 to 15 years earlier in comparison to similarly aged populations around the world.

Cardiologists consider that Indians suffer from cardiac arrests at least 20 years before their western counterparts on average.

Causes of untimely heart attacks in Indians 

According to cardiologists, the causes range from genetic to lifestyle related. Many Indian families have a history of a cluster of health issues that can accelerate heart diseases – abdominal obesity, high fasting blood sugar, or diabetes, like low good cholesterol and high triglycerides. Together, these are called metabolic syndrome.

Many Indians also suffer from cholesterol problems because of the tendency to have low High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) or good cholesterol. In comparison, Caucasians tend to have a higher HDL. This skewed lipid proportion could be an issue. The Indian morphology being slightly smaller could also be linked.

Other causes can include an inactive lifestyle, consumption of food rich in carbohydrates, high mental stress levels, consumption of energy drinks, alcohol, or tobacco and sleep deprivation, and inconsistent sleeping patterns.

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How can we prevent heart attacks among young Indians? 

It is recommended that one undergoes regular complete lipid profile and fasting blood glucose tests, every five years between 20 to 40 and then annually after 40. Depending on the results, changes should be made to the lifestyle. 

On a general basis, managing the level of sugar, salt and different types of fat in our daily diets can also help. While excessive sugar and saturated fat in the diet can lead to obesity and increased bad cholesterol in the blood, excessive consumption of salt can lead to hypertension, increasing the stress on the heart which causes damage.

As cardiologists say, preventing a heart attack boils down to minimising the risk.