Rise in sudden cardiac deaths in young, fit individuals: Experts highlight overlooked risk factors

Why suddenly young and middle aged individuals are dropping dead due to cardiac ailments. Are we missing something?

Hyderabad: Almost every other week, we are coming across instances of young and middle-aged individuals, including fitness enthusiasts, collapsing and dying within minutes, due to a severe cardiac episode.

Such incidents become instantly viral on social media but leave a lingering question in our minds about why all this is happening? Why suddenly young and middle aged individuals are dropping dead due to cardiac ailments. Are we missing something?

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Cardiologists and public health influencers on social media must strive to go beyond the obvious risk factors like uncontrolled blood pressure, diabetes, history of heart ailments, smoking, alcohol or urging people to walk 10, 000 steps per day. There is a definite need to look deeper and beyond the regular risk factors for more red flags and address them at the earliest, believes senior cardiologist and Head, Cardiology, Apollo Secunderabad, Dr J Shiv Kumar.

The former president of Cardiology Society of India (CSI) points out that profiles of the majority of individuals, who are collapsing all of a sudden due to heart episodes, invariably have high stress levels.

“There is every chance that such people might be suffering from Mental Stress Induced Myocardial Ischemia (MSIMI), which is associated with high mortality and sudden death. However, not many cardiologists and other physicians are looking at such new possibilities and factors that trigger fatal heart episodes,” says Dr Shiv Kumar.

The senior cardiologist urges physicians to look at newer risk factors for heart ailments like Lp (a) (lipoprotein) and Homocysteine levels.

“Lp (a) tests tell us the genetic risk for heart disease of an individual. It is a simple blood test of lipoproteins that can give an idea to the physician about the genetic propensity of an individual towards a heart attack. Another risk factor that is often overlooked is Homocysteine, which is an amino acid, levels in the body. If Homocysteine levels in the body are elevated, then it is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular diseases including heart attacks,” Dr Shiv Kumar points out.

The senior cardiologists point out that another unique tool to track heart ailments is Coronary Calcium Score among individuals.

“This is yet another simple tool that measures the amount of calcium build-up in the coronary arteries. Calcium deposits are a marker of plaque buildup (atherosclerosis), which is a major risk factor for coronary artery disease,” Dr Shiv Kumar advises.