You may be less than 30, but you could have a heart attack

English

For Jiten, life meant living it up to the hilt. Work hard, party harder. He had a jet-set lifestyle replete with business tours around the globe and flamboyant shopping sprees, parties with the swish set. Jiten, however, was extremely particular about his exercise regimen. He was a regular at polo matches and that meant having a strict fitness plan to follow. A morning jog on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, squash on Tuesdays and Thursdays and his personal trainer in the evenings for a long 2-hour cardio session. Weekends would not be purely for binge- eating but riding and swimming would be penciled into the schedule.

How then did the young Jiten, who was a fortnight away from celebrating his 35^th birthday land in the hospital just in time for the doctors to treat him for Myocardial Infarction (MI) or a heart attack?

What is a Heart attack?

Blockage or narrowing of arteries due to fatty deposits or cholesterol is the common cause of heart attack; making it difficult for the blood to flow smoothly to the heart. Despite Jiten being physically active, he was at risk of suffering a heart attack due to several reasons…

Jiten had enjoyed tucking into various meats on his trip to New Zealand. Not just this most meals were accompanied by wine and cholesterol-rich food such as cheeses, butter were served throughout the day during yacht parties, wine crushing, and wine-tasting and basketball-on-the-beach matches. It was red meat and extremely high consumption of dairy products which led to trans fat accumulating in Jiten’s arteries and elevating the level of triglyceride – a type of fat.

Another factor that worked against Jiten was his BP, he was prone to having high blood pressure. (While normal blood pressure range is below 120/80mm Hg. Jiten’s blood had rocketed to 130.) The wild partying aggravated his blood pressure and coupled with the unhealthy diet for just a few days, constricted his arteries. Jiten could have also used precautionary medication to keep his blood pressure under control. Statins are the medicines which help control blood pressure.

However, Jiten was lucky. While he was about to reach for the remote, he felt pain shoot up in his arm and a tight squeezing sensation in his chest. His son, barely in his teens, saw his dad hold his chest and slump on the sofa. Without wasting time, he called the Golden Hour number of hospital close-by. Luckily, the ambulance was equipped with critical care machines, while a cardiologist and an anesthesiologist were also present. Well-trained for emergencies, the family at once knew that Jiten was in safe hands. Jiten was given CPR and rushed straight to the ICU. Timely intervention saved his life. Keep the Emergency Number of the Golden Hour Project, handy, particularly if you or a family member is at risk.

Know the factors which cause myocardial infarction

• Family history
• Smoking
• Sedentary lifestyle + unhealthy diet
• Stress
• Drug abuse such as cocaine, amphetamines, barbiturates
• Preeclampsia of high blood pressure during pregnancy
• Obesity
• Age

For Jiten, the short stay at the hospital was an eye-opener. He resolved to reduce his social drinking and all the packets and cartons which had hydrogenated oil or partially hydrogenated oil on the label (typically found in processed foods) were banned from the house.

If you feel chest discomfort, nausea, indigestion, heartburn, stomach pain, pain that spreads to the arm, then contact your nearest cardiologist today.