Heart disease is no longer restricted to the middle-aged and the old.
Due to the unhealthy lifestyle that includes long working hours at the desk, little physical exercise and unhealthy eating habits,working professionals in their late twenties and early thirties are also experiencing heart trouble, experts say.
“Those from the IT and BPO sector fall under this category. With most of the work happening from desk and minimal physical activity being involved, the chances of risk in such professions are higher,” Naikawadi told IANS.
Ravindra L. Kulkarni, cardiologist and co-founder of Just For Hearts, too felt that although every profession contributes to stress, employees of IT companies are more stressed out owing to long working hours, varying shifts and unhealthy eating habits.
“I have observed that smoking is the biggest risk factor for heart attacks among youngsters. No physical exercise and alcohol intake further increase the risk. High cholesterol levels, diabetes and hypertension are also some of the factors,” Amar Singhal, head of department, interventional cardiologist, Sri Balaji Action Medical Institute, told IANS.
Symptoms of heart attack :
Chest Pain or Discomfort
Upper body discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw, or upper part of the stomach
Shortness of breath, which may occur with or before chest discomfort
Nausea (feeling sick to your stomach), vomiting, light-headedness or sudden dizziness, or breaking out in a cold sweat
Sleep problems, fatigue (tiredness), or lack of energy
In case of emergency, what to do :
If you are wearing any tight clothes, loosen them. Get your hands on an aspirin tablet and make sure that you chew it well. It will work faster.
Make sure that you are not surrounded by a crowd that adds to the feeling of being restless. Drink something refreshing and if you are outside, look for a place with shade. If you feel it could be a heart attack, call for emergency medical help.
In certain acute cases:
“Emergency angiogram is done and the blockage causing the heart attack is diagnosed. The blockage is removed and a stent is placed across the area,” explained Karthik Vasudevan, Interventional cardiologist at Bangalore`s Columbia Asia Referral Hospital.
To keep your heart strong after an attack, Singhal suggested strictly following a healthy diet and, regularly exercising without exerting and regular checkups.
Prevention is better than cure:
As goes the famous proverb, ‘prevention is better than cure,’ it is advised that professionals take a small break and walk around after every 30 minutes. This will keep them active and lower the risk of heart attack.
