20% of young heart-attack patients had no conventional risks: Study | Bengaluru News

BENGALURU: Of the 5,500 young heart-attack patients admitted to Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research (SJICSR) in Bengaluru between 2014 and 2020, about 20% did not have any of the conventional risk factors.
This was among the interesting findings of an ongoing study which analysed data from heart patients aged between 18 and 45 years and admitted at Jayadeva hospital.Titled the PrematureHeart Attack Study, the analysis showed that about 8% of the heart-attack patients were young women under 45 years of age. The increasing burden of cardiovascular disease among women in the city is worrying, Dr CN Manjunath, senior cardiologist and director, SJICSR told TOI. Three decades ago, the incidence of heart disease among women was much lower. The vascular protective effect of hormones in women seems to be fading away, he added.
So, what has led to the rise in cardiovascular disease among those considered to be ‘immune’ to it? A risk factor analysis done by researchers at the hospital showed that both acute and chronic stressors are responsible for the increase in incidence of cardiovascular diseases. Chronic stress could be one of the reasons that has led to rise in cardiovascular disease, particularly among women, said Dr Manjunath.
“When somebody is under constant stress, it increases heart rate and blood pressure. Chronic stress results in the release of stress hormones into the blood stream. Excessive release of catecholamines could lead to shrinkage of the arteries that supply oxygen to the heart muscles. In such cases, the individual can suffer a heart attack or a heart failure. This is known as takotsubo cardiomyopathy (broken heart syndrome). It is a well-established entity,” explained Dr Manjunath.
Among the other unconventional risk factors contributing to a rise in heart diseases are air pollution, polycystic ovary disease, pre-diabetes, fatty liver disease, hormonal imbalances, drug abuse and changes in diet.
About 51% of the cohort studied were smokers, 20% had high blood pressure and diabetes, 30% had high cholesterol and 17% had a strong family history of premature heart attacks.