Hyderabad: Heart diseases on the rise among young adults
Hyderabad: High bad cholesterol levels are a major contributor to the increasing number of chronic heart diseases in India. In Hyderabad, local doctors have recorded an increase in the cases of heart attack in people between 25-40 years due to their poor lipid profiles. Nearly 15% of young adults are currently with high levels of bad cholesterol.
Skipping meals and eating junk food accompanied by disturbed sleep patterns, stress at work& lack of exercise have noted as significant factors contributing to the formation of bad cholesterol, making citizens prone to heart diseases. City cardiologists advise to cut the intake of dairy products and refined sugar & flour as they are rich in trans fats. Instead, consumption of food rich in fiber like fresh fruits and vegetables should be increased.
Contrary to the general perception that heart diseases only affect in the old age, 50% of heart attacks in India occur before the age of 50-55. Indians have this added risk because of our genetic predisposition, lifestyle, diet which is rich in carbohydrates & fats and lack of physical activity/exercise. High levels of bad cholesterol in blood have no signs or symptoms, and many people fail to identify. Therefore, it is advised to do a routine checkup and adopt measures for an increased quality of life.
Dr. T Sashikanth, Consultant Interventional Cardiologist, Yashoda Hospitals, said "The younger population is increasingly becoming susceptible to heart ailments, such as heart attack and heart failure. In my practice, on an average 5 out of 10 patients will have high (bad cholesterol) levels. There is a strong correlation between high cholesterol levels and heart disease wherein the longer the individual is exposed to high cholesterol, greater the chances of developing a heart disease. Most of the people affected by these ailments fall between the age range of 25-40 due to two major reasons – unhealthy food consumption and highly stressed jobs & lack of physical activity."