Why do UAE citizens under 30 suffer from more heart attacks?

Sedentary lifestyles, poor eating habits, stress, and obesity, according to doctors, are the leading causes of young people developing cardiac difficulties. According to Dr. Chaudhary, there is no single explanation for why people are experiencing cardiac issues at such a young age, but studies point to genetics, lifestyle changes, food choices, and stress as major risk factors.

He also claimed that in the previous 20 years, people's lifestyles in the UAE have changed tremendously. "Our physical activities have decreased, we've started eating more fried and fatty fast food, we've all moved to a sedentary office lifestyle, cigarette smoking has increased, alcohol consumption has increased, and the incidence of hypertension, diabetes, obesity and dyslipidemia has increased in pandemic proportion," Dr Chaudhary explained.

When risk factors rise and lifestyle changes combine with a decrease in physical activity, it leads to an increase in psychological stress, which all contributes to the development or recurrence of heart attacks at a much younger age, he noted.

Dr. Chaudhary also suggested that the younger generation's desire to do as much as possible as fast as possible could play a role. "This desire to do everything produces enormous psychological and emotional stress, which is one of the primary risk factors," he stated.

Dr. Ajay Kaul, consultant, chief cardiothoracic vascular surgeon, and director of cardio-vascular at RAK Hospital, stated. "An increase in stress levels caused by job performance pressure is connected to an increase in the prevalence of heart disease or heart attacks among the younger population."

"We discovered that people from the Indian subcontinent are more prone to cardiac problems than people from other regions of the world," Dr Kaul added.

Heart attack and Covid risks can be predicted, say doctors

These include risk scores and novel biomarkers on CT coronary angiography such as hsCRP, lipoprotein, Apo B/A ratio, and calcium score, which help stratify patients into low, middle, and high-risk groups.

"However, the answer to whether we can accurately predict heart attacks is no." "The best one can do is focus on altering or avoiding known risk factors, particularly stress and smoking — the two most lethal," Dr Chaudhary said.

Instead of being concerned, be happy

A healthy, happy lifestyle paired with frequent checkups will help you stay safe.

Lifestyle modification, according to Dr Jose John, a consultant cardiologist at LLH Hospital Musaffah, is the single most effective way to prevent heart disease. Dr. John stated, "A healthy habit can assist us to lower our risk of having a heart attack."

"Traditional cardiovascular risk factors such as smoking, hyperlipidaemia, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension are the most common causes of heart attacks in young individuals, accounting for around 90% of occurrences," Dr. John explained.

Covid and heart problems

While cholesterol, blood pressure, and diabetes are all risk factors for heart disease, patients who have previously been infected with Covid-19 have reported a rise in the incidence of cardiovascular disease in the aftermath of the pandemic. According to UAE doctors, cardiovascular diseases including abnormal heart rhythms, heart muscle inflammation, blood clots, strokes, heart attacks, and heart failure have grown dramatically among Covid-infected persons.

"If this is any indication, Covid-19 could be a serious threat," Dr. Dash added. Within 12 months following Covid infection, anyone experiencing a sudden onset of symptoms such as chest discomfort, significant muscular weakness, shortness of breath, or palpitation should seek medical assistance. "How should we respond?"

Some characteristics, such as age, gender, and ethnicity, cannot be changed. Smoking, obesity, stress, sedentary lifestyle, and poor eating habits, on the other hand, are modifiable risk factors. Japan, Korea, and France have the lowest incidence of heart disease because they eat healthily and exercise regularly - it is their way of life that puts them at a lower risk of CVD.

Cardiovascular conditions in the United Arab Emirates

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the third leading cause of death in the UAE and worldwide, trailing only cancer and traffic accidents. According to MoHAP, the UAE's CVD death rate in recent years has been 70-80 per 100,000 population.

One out of every three deaths in the UAE is caused by CVD. Until 1990, the UAE had a total of one million CVD fatalities. By 2017, the figure has increased seven to eightfold to seven million. Almost half of all CVD patients seen at MoHAP clinics are under the age of 35.