Heart Attack in Young Adults: how common is it in india, should you worry?

Heart is the most vital organ in the human body. Any blockage in the flow of blood to the heart causes heart attack that may or may not lead to the death of the individual. The rate of heart attacks in India has increased significantly, especially among the younger population of the country.
In this article, know about how common a heart attack is in India and under what circumstances you should worry about a heart attack or get a doctor consultation.

How common is a heart attack in India?

Heart attack is one of the most common and leading causes of death in India. In the past 10 years, the death of people in India due to cardiovascular diseases has increased by 40.8%. Also, 32% deaths all around the world were due to cardiovascular diseases, out of which 85% deaths are due to heart attack and stroke. The percentage cases of cardiovascular diseases in different parts of India diagnosed in people who are aged between 45 - 59 years are tabulated below:

S.No.	State	Percentage cases of Cardiovascular disease
1.	Haryan	34.2
2.	Jammu and Kashmir	33.6
3.	Punjab	32.6
4.	Kerala	28.5
5.	Delhi	28.1
6.	Himachal Pradesh	27.9
7.	Andhra Pradesh	27.2
8.	Karnataka	21
9.	Chattisgarh	13.7

Heart attacks have become a common cause of death in people as young as 35 years of age. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the percentage cases of cardiovascular diseases in males reported in different years in the rural and urban areas of the country are tabulated below:

S.No.	Year	Age (in years)	Percentage of deaths due to coronary heart disease (in Urban area)	Percentage of deaths due to coronary heart disease (in Rural area)
1.	2000	20 - 29	5.14	1.80
		30 - 39	6.16	3.10
		40 - 49	8.16	3.17
		50 - 59	12.14	4.64
		60 - 69	17.76	10.21
2.	2005	20 - 29	6.53	1.80
		30 - 39	7.35	3.78
		40 - 49	9.11	3.55
		50 - 59	12.68	4.93
		60 - 69	19.50	11.24
3.	2010	20 - 29	7.92	1.80
		30 - 39	8.54	4.45
		40 - 49	10.06	3.94
		50 - 59	13.23	5.22
		60 - 69	21.25	12.28
4.	2015	20 - 29	9.30	1.80
		30 - 39	9.73	5.13
		40 - 49	11.01	4.32
		50 - 59	13.77	5.50
		60 - 69	22.99	13.31

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), the percentage cases of cardiovascular diseases in females reported in different years in the rural and urban areas of the country are tabulated below:

S.No.	Year	Age (in years)	Percentage of deaths due to coronary heart disease (in Urban area)	Percentage of deaths due to coronary heart disease (in Rural area)
1.	2000	20 - 29	5.06	1.30
		30 - 39	6.14	2.90
		40 - 49	10.29	6.55
		50 - 59	11.29	10.38
		60 - 69	17.27	9.67
2.	2005	20 - 29	6.37	1.30
		30 - 39	7.49	2.90
		40 - 49	12.26	7.39
		50 - 59	12.62	11.88
		60 - 69	19.14	11.02
3.	2010	20 - 29	7.67	1.30
		30 - 39	8.84	2.90
		40 - 49	14.22	8.23
		50 - 59	13.95	13.38
		60 - 69	21.00	12.37
4.	2015	20 - 29	8.98	1.30
		30 - 39	10.18	2.90
		40 - 49	16.19	9.08
		50 - 59	15.28	14.89
		60 - 69	22.87	13.71

Should you worry about a Heart Attack?

With the increasing rate of heart attacks in India, the situation has become alarming. You don't need to worry about heart attack, but you surely need to consult the doctor if you see any signs or symptoms of a heart attack. The most common symptoms that may be a sign of heart attack are listed below.

• Discomfort in the chest: This includes some sort of pressure, tightness or pain in the chest that will make you uncomfortable.
• Stomach pain
• Heartburn
• Indigestion 
• Nausea 
• Pain spreading to the left side of the body
• Dizziness or lightheadedness
• Pain spreading to the jaw or throat from the centre of the chest
• Fatigue 
• Unusual loud snoring
• Cold sweats
• Long-lasting cough
• Swollen ankles, feet and legs
• Irregular heart beat

Takeaway 

Heart attack is a very common health issue in people of India. Therefore, one should be very careful if they experience any of the symptoms of heart attack discussed above. Also, with the increasing rate of deaths due to cardiovascular diseases, you must take all the necessary measures that will keep your heart healthy and prevent heart attacks.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

• Is it rare for a 25 year old individual to have a heart attack?

In the past, individuals above 40 years of age were more prone to heart attack whereas those less than 40 years of age were very rare to be diagnosed with heart attack. But with the increase in the cases of heart attack, every 1 in 5 patients of cardiovascular disease, is a young individual with age less than 40 years.

• Can anxiety lead to heart attack?

Yes, people with depression, anxiety or chronic stress are at a higher risk of getting a heart attack.

• Why do fit people get heart attacks?

Heart attacks can occur due to various factors like stress, cholesterol levels, poor eating habits, insomnia and unhealthy lifestyle.