Experts Warn Obesity and High BP Are Putting Young Adults at Risk
Weighing in on the debate of how many young adults are succumbing to heart attacks, diabetologist Dr Pratishtha Shrivastav stressed the need for getting decisive health screenings. “A 35-year-old leaves his home to go to the office. He was feeling uneasy since morning with abdominal discomfort. He was feeling bloated. In fact, he told his colleague that maybe he overate at a wedding the previous night. At about 3-3.30 pm, he was sweating a lot, and he shared it with his colleague, who took him to the hospital. When we did his ECG, we were shocked (sic),” said Dr Shrivastav in a post on Instagram.
According to her, the patient “had extensive wall MI (myocardial infarction)” or a severe heart attack. “His blood pressure was 170 over 100, and he was in severe chest pain. We gave him a loading dose and also asked the colleagues to inform the family. By the time we could shift the patient to the cath lab, he collapsed. Even after all emergency procedures, he could not be saved. 35 years, obesity, not taking BP medicine. Don’t take your life so lightly. If there is chest pain or any discomfort, seek medical evaluation. Check your blood pressure,” Dr Shrivastav urged.
DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.
Taking a cue from the case, we asked experts to help us better understand our bodies.
Dr Swati Goray, consultant – endocrinology, Jupiter Hospital, Pune, said that an increasing number of individuals in their 30s are showing up with obesity, unregulated blood pressure levels, chest pain, and metabolic anomalies that may result in acute medical crises.
“The case of a 35-year-old person who collapses after having chest pains and high blood pressure is a worrying change in the trends of diseases, in which lifestyle diseases like obesity, insulin resistance, and high blood pressure are major causes of cardiac events at a young age. Examples of these conditions include modern sedentary lifestyle, unhealthy diets, chronic stress, and physical inactivity,” said Dr Goray.
Obesity and metabolic impairment are often the cause of diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. Dr Goray said that extra body fat, particularly around the abdomen, causes insulin resistance and inflammatory changes that may gradually damage blood vessels, leading to elevated blood pressure.
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Check your blood pressure regularly (Photo: Getty Images/Thinkstock)
Calling obesity “the mother of all non-communicable disorders”, Dr Rajiv Kovil, head of diabetology and weight loss expert, Zandra Healthcare and Co-founder of Rang De Neela Initiative, said obesity is increasingly becoming the starting point of heart disease in young people. “Excess body fat is not just a cosmetic issue; it changes the body’s biology. It increases inflammation, causes insulin resistance, worsens cholesterol levels, and most importantly raises blood pressure,” said Dr Kovil.
A combination of these factors (obesity, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and abnormal cholesterol levels) creates so-called metabolic syndrome, a set of diseases that significantly increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, and damage to the organs in the case of non-management. “Most young adults are not paying attention to the initial signs of the disease like constant tiredness, shortness of breath, chest pain, or losing weight without cause until the time when something significant happens,” said Dr Goray.
Dr Kovil noted that young individuals with obesity and hypertension develop premature coronary artery disease (CAD) much earlier than expected. “What used to be seen in people in their 50s or 60s is now appearing in the 30s and 40s. This means heart attacks are happening earlier, during the most productive years of life,” said Dr Kovil.
Blood pressure, fasting blood sugar, HbA1c, cholesterol levels, and body weight should be monitored regularly to identify metabolic risks before they develop. “As early as lifestyle modification, balanced foods, frequent exercises, management of stress, and sleep are the best ways to prevent such life-threatening incidences among young adults,” said Dr Goray.
DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.
