By Zahidah Maqbool
While the second wave coronavirus epidemic is wreaking havoc across the world with over 14 million people infected ,we have an another worrying unexpected surge of heart attacks among young population in Kashmir.Our heart itself needs blood supply and oxygen to stay healthy,to keep it working and fit , heart pumps oxygen-rich blood to its own muscle through coronary arteries and without blood tissue loses oxygen and dies.
A heart attack occurs when an artery supplying with blood to heart and oxygen becomes blocked.This can result from coronary heart disease, in which plaque — made up of cholesterol and other substances — collects in the arteries, narrowing them. Over time, this can obstruct the flow of blood to the heart .A heart attack is different from cardiac arrest, in which the heart stops working completely.Almost 29,545 patients visited out patient department (OPD) visited Sher-i-KashmirIntitute of Medical Science (SKIMS) Soura from January 1st to october 31st to treat their heart disease ,according to available figures.The incidence rate is almost twice as much in winter as in summer as the blood in the elderly population group tends to be thicker and stickier with increased viscosity during extreme cold weather conditions, notably during chilla-e-kalan in the valley.There are many Risk factors that can lead to heart attack,
- Highly Competitive and intense workload /demands.
- Tobacco comsumption :-Smoking cigaret and bidi and Smokeless tobacco (chewing tobacoo)
- Family history
- Daibetes.
- Familial hypercholesterolemia -genetic origin.
- Hypertension.
- Lipid disorders.
- physical and mental stress.
- Excessive comsumtion of alcohal.
- Lack of exercise.
- lack of sleep.
- Sedentary life style.
- CAD -Coronary artry disease.
- Physical inactivity or hyperactivity.
- High stress and white-collar jobs.
- Unhealthy eating habits .
- Working at odd hours/Increasing workloads.
- uncertainty of future.
- lack of investiment in personnal hobbies.
- life _limiting situations.
- Unchecked health conditions.
- Drug addiction.
Depression raises C – reactive proteins _a marker for inflammation , Diabetes causes sugar to build up in the blood and also ,Cigarette/ tobacco cause the cells that line blood vessels to become swollen and inflamed .After the inflammation in the walls of coronary artry enothelial injury and deposition of lipids occurs in response,Oxidation of lipids and platelet activity increases and it continues to develop into a stenotic plaques that eventually occlude the lumen of artry and causes blockage and can hinder the blood flow to the heart , insufficient blood and oxygen supply to heart leads to heart attack .
Why there is more sudden deaths among young adults due to heart attack than old age group .
With age there occurs a process called Coronary Collateral Circulation .Collateral circulation potentially offers an important alternative source of blood supply when the original vessel fails to provide sufficient blood.longer the history large-caliber coronary collaterals develop. In young populations ,this Natural bypass or collateral circulation may not be present as timely enlargement of collaterals may even avoid transmural myocardial infarction (MI) and death in symptomatic patients.Well-developed coronary collaterals may help protect the myocardium from infarction during episodes of ischemia and may extend the limited number of valuable “golden hours” from the onset of an acute myocardial infarct to successful coronary reperfusion.
Prevention :
Fortunatly there are many things we can do and can reduce the chances of getting any heart ailments like - life style modification or management -adapting healthy habits or ecducate from childhood or adolescent is essential.
- Moderate intensity of aerobic (isotonic) exercises like
-Brisk walking.
-Cycling.
-Jogging.
-swimming.
-Healthy foods like vegetables,fruits ,nuts,low fat dairy products. - Avoidance of transfatty acids like hydrogenated fats.etc
-Manage organise and balance life . - Avoid stress and get enough sleep.
-Keep Diabetes,Blood presure and sugar in control. - Quit ciggrette smoking .
- Keep Wight in control.
-Keep cholesterol and triglyceride levels under control.
The writer is a PG Scholar(Medical surgical nursing )at Skims Soura and can be reached @zahidamaqbool37@gmail.com
