Heart Attacks in Young Adults: The Hidden Risks of Seemingly Harmless Habits

Atherosclerosis, the primary cause of heart attacks, is increasingly manifesting in younger individuals in Vietnam due to lifestyle factors such as lack of physical activity, smoking, late nights, and stress. Dr. Giang Minh Nhat, Deputy Head of the Cardiovascular Intensive Care Department at Gia Dinh People's Hospital, stated at a hospital scientific conference that atherosclerosis is the leading cause of cardiovascular mortality globally, with a significant portion linked to heart attacks. The main culprit behind heart attacks is the formation of atherosclerotic plaques within arteries. Atherosclerosis is a systemic disease that can affect arteries supplying the heart (coronary arteries), brain (cerebral arteries), or peripheral limbs. Notably, the process of plaque formation does not wait until middle age; it can begin in adolescence and progress silently for many years. When combined with risk factors like smoking, diabetes, hypertension, a family history of early cardiovascular disease, or certain genetic mutations, plaques develop more rapidly, leading to heart attacks and strokes occurring at increasingly younger ages. According to Dr. Nhat, most cases of atherosclerosis present warning signs, but patients often overlook them. For instance, if atherosclerosis affects the coronary arteries, a typical symptom is exertional chest pain, such as when climbing stairs, exercising, or carrying heavy loads. Many young people dismiss this as muscle pain or chest wall discomfort and do not seek medical attention. However, upon reviewing the medical histories of heart attack patients, a majority had experienced chest pain previously but it went unheeded. If atherosclerosis affects the cerebral arteries, individuals may experience headaches, dizziness, or fainting. Atherosclerosis in the lower limb arteries commonly causes intermittent claudication, characterized by painful calf cramping during prolonged walking or climbing hills, which subsides with rest. Dr. Nhat stated that there is currently no method to completely 'reverse' formed atherosclerotic plaques. Treatment primarily focuses on early detection to slow the progression, stabilizing plaques, and reducing the risk of rupture and blood clot formation that leads to heart attacks or strokes. Surgical intervention is reserved for a few specific cases. Routine specialized screening is not recommended for everyone. Individuals without a history of heart attack or stroke should have their cardiovascular risk assessed by a doctor during a regular check-up, considering factors like age, gender, blood pressure, blood sugar, blood lipid levels, and other elements. If the risk is low, maintaining a healthy lifestyle is sufficient. Those with moderate to high risk may be advised to undergo further specialized tests to detect early-stage atherosclerosis and receive timely treatment. Many hospitals are now equipped with diagnostic tools for atherosclerosis, such as measuring the ankle-brachial index and performing coronary CT angiography to assess coronary artery calcification scores. These indicators help detect atherosclerosis even before symptoms appear. Regarding treatment, Dr. Nhat emphasized the need for concurrent management of multiple risk factors. Hypertensive patients must achieve good blood pressure control; those with dyslipidemia need to reach their target LDL cholesterol levels; diabetic patients must manage their blood sugar; and obese individuals need to lose weight. Simultaneous intervention across multiple factors is more effective in slowing the progression of atherosclerotic plaques than treating a single factor in isolation. In terms of prevention, physical activity is considered the most important measure. Doctors recommend at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise per week, equivalent to about 30-40 minutes per session, at least three times a week. Additionally, maintaining a healthy weight, reducing salt intake for those with hypertension, limiting refined carbohydrates and sugars for diabetics, quitting smoking, and moderating alcohol consumption are essential. Dr. Nhat noted that many people mistakenly believe that only overweight individuals suffer from dyslipidemia. In reality, blood lipid levels are influenced by both genetics and lifestyle, meaning lean individuals can also develop the condition if they have unfavorable genes or are physically inactive. For young people, modern lifestyles are contributing to the accelerated progression of atherosclerosis. Sedentary behavior, prolonged sitting, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, coupled with stress, depression, and chronic insomnia, all increase the risk of hypertension, diabetes, heart attacks, and hasten the process of atherosclerosis.