Heart attack in youth has become a big concern with the number of incident involving youngsters on the rise due to unhealthy lifestyle, stress smoking, diabetes, hyper tension, obesity and air pollution are the main cause for heart attack in youths.

According to recent survey, 1.3 million people between the age of 15 to 29 years die of heart attack every year. The number people at risk in the age group of 25 years has increased to 5 per cent last year against 2.3 per cent in 2010, it said.

Dr Om Prakash Narayan Arya, senior cardiologist, Ninti Cardiac Care said if one notice symptoms such as chest pain, difficulty in breathing, dizziness or sweating, then contact the doctor immediately because it can be the cause of heart disease and in future it can become a risk of heart attack.

The main causes of heart attacks in youth are junk food, smoking, alcohol, lack of exercise, stress and lack of sleep, he said.

However, if there is a history of heart attack or heart diseases in the family, then the risk increases even in the youth. Apart from this, diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol can also increase the risk of heart attack, he added.

Dr Girija Shankar Jha, Ninti Cardiac Care said the role of air pollution in heart attack has become important as the particles in polluted air go deep into the lungs and cause inflammation in the airways, causing difficulty in breathing. Pollution damages blood vessels, reducing blood flow and increasing the chances of blood clots.

Dr Jha recommends a healthy diet, regular exercise, quitting smoking, reducing alcohol intake, reducing stress, and getting enough sleep are the most important steps you can take to reduce the risk of heart attack. Everyone above the age of 20 should get their blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels checked regularly, he said.

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