Key risk factors of having a heart attack at a young age include: Substance abuse or excessive alcohol use. Smoking. High blood pressure.
Young adults are increasingly diagnosed with hypertension
Unfortunately, just like the trend in heart attacks, the incidence of hypertension is rising faster in young adults than in older adults. High blood pressure makes your heart muscles thicken, harms your blood vessels, and increases your risk of a heart attack.
If you're in your 20s, 30s or 40s, you might believe you have plenty of time before you need to start thinking about your heart health and your chances of having a heart attack. But new research shows that heart attacks – often associated with older men – are increasingly occurring in younger people, especially women.
The Effect of Anxiety on the Heart
Rapid heart rate (tachycardia) – In serious cases, can interfere with normal heart function and increase the risk of sudden cardiac arrest. Increased blood pressure – If chronic, can lead to coronary disease, weakening of the heart muscle, and heart failure.
Stress may lead to high blood pressure, which can pose a risk for heart attack and stroke. Stress also may contribute to such cardiovascular disease risks as smoking, overeating and lack of physical activity. "Chronic stress has been shown to be associated with increased cardiovascular events," Schiffrin said.
Youngest person who we have seen has had a heart attack is a 17-year-old guy," says Dr Ruchit Shah, Interventional Cardiologist, Masina Hospital, Mumbai.
Age. The majority of heart attack deaths occur in patients ages 65 and older, but a man's risk begins to increase at 45 (for women, it starts at 55).
Noninvasive tests help identify who's really at risk for a heart attack. Seemingly healthy people are “suddenly” having heart attacks because, as it turns out, their arteries are not perfectly healthy and they don't know it.
A heart attack may strike suddenly, but most people have warning signs and symptoms hours, days or weeks beforehand. One of the earliest warning signs of an impending heart attack is chest pain, or angina, that occurs repeatedly because of exertion and is then eased by rest.
Dr. Xu says the majority of patients experience somewhat typical symptoms, such as radiating chest pain, heaviness or discomfort, heart palpitations, cold sweats, and shortness of breath.
What time of day is a heart attack most likely to happen? “Most heart attacks hit during the early morning hours from 4 – 10 am when blood platelets are stickier, and there is increased adrenaline released from the adrenal glands that can trigger rupture of plaques in coronary arteries,” said Dr. Goodroe.
The good news, however, is that 80% of premature heart attacks and strokes are preventable. Healthy diet, regular physical activity, and not using tobacco products are the keys to prevention.
Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center or left side of the chest that lasts for more than a few minutes or that goes away and comes back. The discomfort can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness, or pain.
Is there an average age range for heart attacks? According to a 2018 report , the average age for a first heart attack is 65.6 years old for men and 72 years old for women.
Yes. A heart attack can actually happen without a person knowing it. You can understand why it is called a "silent" heart attack.
Researchers found that in the two hours immediately after feeling angry, a person's risk of a heart attack increased nearly fivefold (by 4.74 times), and the risk of stroke increased more than threefold (by 3.62 times).
Can depression cause heart disease or heart attack? When you experience depression, anxiety or stress your heart rate and blood pressure rise, there's reduced blood flow to the heart and your body produces higher levels of cortisol, a stress hormone. Over time, these effects can lead to heart disease.
If Low Power Mode is turned on, you won't receive any high or low heart rate or irregular rhythm notifications. Learn more about Low Power Mode. Apple Watch cannot detect heart attacks. If you ever experience chest pain, pressure, tightness, or what you think is a heart attack, call emergency services immediately.