New Delhi. Although heart disease has traditionally been associated with older age groups, physicians are now witnessing a disturbing increase in heart attacks and sudden cardiac arrests among people in their twenties and thirties. This shift is prompting the medical community to push for earlier screening and proactive lifestyle changes.
Prevention Should Begin Long Before a Crisis Hits
Renowned cardiac surgeon Dr. Shriram Nene emphasizes that heart‑care cannot wait for a heart attack to occur. He calls for a balanced approach that includes disease prevention, early identification of warning signs, and swift medical intervention when needed.
Dr. Naresh Trehan, cardiac surgeon and chairman of Medanta, advises anyone with a family history of heart disease or diabetes to start screening before turning 25. Those without such a background should discuss appropriate check‑ups with their doctor by age 30. Modern tools such as genome sequencing can uncover inherited vulnerabilities, while clinicians combine family history, laboratory results and lifestyle information to calculate overall risk.
Diet and Lifestyle Under Scrutiny
Prof. Monica Arora, Vice‑President of the Research and Health Promotion Division at the Public Health Foundation of India, links the growing heart‑disease burden to a shift away from traditional Indian diets toward processed and junk foods, which erode cardiovascular health.
All forms of tobacco—including cigarettes, gutka, and other smokeless products—remain major offenders. Newer habits like vaping and nicotine addiction also pose serious threats to heart function.
According to Dr. Amit Gupta of the Global Metabolic Health Alliance, controlling blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol and body weight is essential. Conditions such as diabetes, obesity, high cholesterol and fatty liver dramatically increase the likelihood of a cardiac event.
Embedding Healthy Habits Early
The rise in childhood obesity is sounding alarms among physicians, who urge families to instill weight‑management practices from a young age. Regular physical activity and nutrient‑dense meals lay the foundation for lifelong heart health.
For older adults, routine monitoring of glucose, blood pressure and weight, strict adherence to prescribed medication, and periodic consultations with health professionals remain indispensable.
“Protecting the heart is a lifelong commitment, not a reaction to an emergency,” the experts conclude.
