Heart attacks on the rise among youth: Expert

In India, around 30 million people are suffering from coronary artery disease. The country will soon have the highest number cardiovascular disease cases in

the world.

Dr HK Bali, chairman of Cardiac Sciences and Dean Academics at Livasa Hospital, Mohali, addressing a press conference here on Friday, said, “India tops the world in heart attacks in men aged over 35. Cardiovascular diseases are going to be the largest cause of death and disability in India by next decade. The average age of people with heart ailments is coming down and we are getting heart attack patients as young as 25 years.”

He said youngsters were suffering from coronary artery disease, owing to their poor lifestyle, and if this continued, the future looked even more dangerous.

Dr Diptiman Kaul, cardiologist, said, “In India, heart ailments have replaced communicable diseases as the biggest killer. According to recent data, approximately 30 per cent of the urban population and 15 per cent of the population living in rural areas suffer from high blood pressure and heart attacks. As the risk factors of heart ailments increase, so does the mortality rate.”