By Dr. Manish Kumar Jatav, MBBS
Heart attacks aren’t just for the old anymore. Increasingly, people in their 20s and 30s are ending up in emergency rooms — often with no prior symptoms. It’s time to bust some common myths and look at what really puts young hearts at risk.
Truth: While fitness helps, it doesn’t guarantee protection. Factors like smoking, substance abuse (e.g., steroids, cocaine), undiagnosed genetic disorders, or sudden extreme workouts can still trigger heart events.
Truth: Even lean individuals can have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or a family history of heart disease. Regular check-ups are key regardless of body shape.
Smoking or Vaping – Smoking and vaping damage the blood vessels and reduce the amount of oxygen in the blood. This makes the heart work harder and increases the risk of blood clots, leading to heart attacks — even in young people.
High Stress and Anxiety – When you’re under constant stress, your body releases stress hormones like cortisol. These can raise blood pressure and cause inflammation in the arteries. Over time, this increases the risk of a heart attack.
Sedentary Lifestyle (Sitting Too Much) – Not moving enough slows down your metabolism. It leads to weight gain, high blood pressure, and poor blood flow — all of which raise your risk of heart disease.
Poor Diet (High in Sugar, Salt, and Junk Food) – Eating a lot of processed and sugary foods can increase cholesterol, blood pressure, and body fat. This builds up plaque in the arteries, which can block blood flow and cause heart attacks.
Diabetes (Even If Undiagnosed) – High blood sugar from diabetes damages blood vessels over time. Many young people may not even know they have it — putting them at silent risk for a heart attack.
Family History of Heart Disease – If heart disease runs in your family, you may be born with a higher risk. Even with a healthy lifestyle, your chances of getting a heart attack can still be higher if your close relatives had heart problems at a young age.
Drug Use (Especially Stimulants like Cocaine or Steroids) – These drugs increase your heart rate and blood pressure very quickly. They can cause your heart to spasm or your arteries to close, leading to a sudden heart attack — even in healthy young adults.
Post-COVID Impact – Recent evidence suggests that COVID-19 may increase the long-term risk of cardiovascular complications, including myocarditis and heart attacks in younger people. (2)
Red Flags Not to Ignore:
Chest Pain or Tightness – A crushing pressure in the chest, often described as “like an elephant sitting on the chest.” This is one of the most common signs of a heart attack. If the heart isn't getting enough oxygen, it causes pain or tightness.
Shortness of Breath – You feel like you can't catch your breath, even when you’re not doing heavy activity. This can happen when your heart isn't pumping well and your lungs don’t get enough oxygen.
Dizziness or Fainting – Feeling lightheaded, weak, or like you might pass out. This may happen because the heart isn't sending enough blood to the brain. It could be a sign of a serious heart problem.
Unexplained Fatigue – Feeling very tired all the time, even after resting. Struggling to do normal activities like walking or climbing stairs. This happens when the heart is weak, and the body doesn’t get the energy it needs. Many people — especially women — experience unusual fatigue as a warning sign before a heart attack.
Pain Radiating to Arm, Jaw, or Back – Pain that starts in the chest and spreads to the left arm. It can also move to the neck, jaw, shoulder, or back. This kind of spreading pain is a serious warning sign.
If you notice one or more of these signs — especially together — don’t wait. Call emergency services or go to a hospital immediately.
What Young People Can Do to Stay Heart-Healthy:
Get Regular Health Check-up's (Even in Your 20s) – Many health problems like high blood pressure or diabetes start without symptoms. Regular check-up's help you catch them early — before they cause a heart attack.
Avoid Smoking, Steroids, and Drug Abuse – These substances damage your heart and blood vessels.
Manage Stress – Too much stress raises blood pressure and contributes to chronic fatigue or anxiety.
Eat Heart-Healthy Foods – Junk food, sugar, and oily snacks increase cholesterol and body fat.
Know Your Family History – Your genes matter. Track heart disease patterns in your family.
Monitor Cholesterol, Blood Sugar, and Blood Pressure – These three silent factors are major contributors to early heart disease.
Young people can — and should — take heart health seriously. Awareness and early action can save lives, possibly your own.
Young people today are having more heart attacks than before, even in their 20s and 30s. Many believe only older or overweight people are at risk, but that’s a myth. Even fit and slim individuals can be affected due to smoking, stress, poor diet, drug use, family history, or hidden conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes. Warning signs like chest pain, shortness of breath, and fatigue should not be ignored. Regular checkups, a healthy lifestyle, and knowing your family history can help protect your heart early in life.
Arora, Sandeep, et al. “Trends in Young Adults With Myocardial Infarction.” Journal of the American Heart Association 8, no. 14 (2019): e011319. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/JAHA.123.029971
Xie, Yan, et al. “Long-Term Cardiovascular Outcomes of COVID-19.” Nature Medicine 28 (2022): 583–590. https://www.nature.com/articles/s41591-022-01689-3
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