Aurelio Rojas: "Heart attacks among young people are increasing, and many of them are taking care of themselves."
Aging and the resulting deterioration it brings have long considered older adults to be at high risk for heart attacks . However, experts warn of the sharp increase in cardiovascular events among young people. In Spain specifically, the Spanish Heart Foundation reports that 35% of young people have two or more risk factors.
Although many young people believe they're taking care of themselves, perhaps because they go to the gym and maintain an active lifestyle, the truth is that today's lifestyle is leading to an increasing number of heart problems being diagnosed. Cardiologist Aurelio Rojas published a video on his social media, in which he warns of five causes to avoid.
Youth does not immunize us from suffering a heart attack.
Although we consider ourselves immortal when we're young, the truth is that simply being younger doesn't guarantee that we won't suffer a stroke. Proof of this is the worrying increase in cases among this population group.
Young people are not immune to cardiac arrest or heart attack, even though many of them believe it is still a disease that affects older people. Heart attacks present with chest pain, pain that radiates to the jaw, neck, back, or arms, a feeling of general weakness, and difficulty breathing.
A scientific study published in the American Journal of Medicine reveals that people under 40 who have already suffered a heart attack are just as likely to die from another heart attack as older adults. Diabetes, high cholesterol, and being overweight all damage arteries and prevent blood vessels from transporting oxygen-rich blood to the heart.
Aurelio Rojas: "These are the causes, and many of them can be avoided."Cardiologist Aurelio Rojas begins by expressing his concern that "the number of heart attacks in young people is increasing every year, and the most striking thing is that many of these people are athletes and take care of themselves." Even though we "take care of ourselves," the truth is that the modern lifestyle "is aging our hearts ."
The five mistakes that increase the risk are, first and foremost, poor diet: "Ultra-processed foods, flours, sugars, and trans fats... cause silent inflammation from childhood . Even if you don't notice it, every bite leaves a mark," says the expert. He adds: "Another mistake is not strength training; muscle protects our heart , while a sedentary lifestyle does the opposite."
Smoking, or vaping, although many people think they only do it occasionally, "can be a trigger for a heart attack, just like chronic stress and poor sleep. Living at a fast pace is not normal; the nervous system suffers, and so does the heart. Furthermore, it's key to ask your doctor to determine your vascular inflammation levels to find a solution," concludes cardiologist Aurelio Rojas.
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