Heart disease striking younger indians: Why heart problems are no longer just an old-age concern, even among the physically fit

Heart disease is increasingly being reported among Indians at younger ages, with some cases involving people who appear physically fit and have few or none of the conventional risk factors.

Delhi's data also reflects the burden. The capital recorded 22,385 deaths from heart attacks and related heart diseases in 2023, compared with 8,576 in 2005. Delhi's Medical Certification of Cause of Deaths report showed that people aged 25 to 44 accounted for 17.21% of institutional heart disease deaths recorded between 2005 and 2023.

Doctors say the cases below highlight how heart-related problems can sometimes emerge unexpectedly in younger people.

38-Year-Old Badminton Player Needed Triple Bypass

A 38-year-old man who played badminton for around an hour every day began experiencing unusual fatigue after just 30 minutes on the court.

He had no history of diabetes or hypertension, did not smoke and had no known family history of heart disease. However, a coronary angiography revealed blockages in all three major coronary arteries, with one artery completely blocked.

He subsequently underwent a triple bypass surgery.

“The patient had no conventional risk factors. The only thing he noticed was his stamina on the court had quietly dropped,” says Dr Varun Bansal, senior consultant, cardiothoracic and vascular surgery, Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals.

18-Year-Old Girl

In another case, an otherwise healthy 18-year-old girl developed severe palpitations, breathlessness and episodes of near-blackout.

Doctors found that her heart's pumping ability had dropped to 30%. She also experienced repeated episodes of dangerous ventricular tachycardia, requiring emergency shocks.

Doctors noticed enlarged, painless lymph nodes and a biopsy confirmed cardiac sarcoidosis, an inflammatory condition that affects the heart.

Following treatment with high-dose steroids and other medicines, her dangerous heart rhythms stopped and her heart function improved to around 45%-50%.

37-Year-Old Man Suffered Heart Attack After Diabetes Diagnosis

A 37-year-old man who had recently been diagnosed with severely uncontrolled diabetes suffered an NSTEMI, a type of heart attack caused by severely restricted blood flow to the heart.

Tests showed severe blockages in all three major coronary vessels along with reduced heart-pumping function. Doctors performed an urgent bypass surgery involving the three affected vessels.

“Serious coronary artery disease can occur even at a young age, particularly when risk factors like uncontrolled diabetes and a sedentary lifestyle are present,” says Dr Vaibhav Mishra, senior director, Max Super Speciality Hospital, Patparganj.

Four Arteries Blocked Despite No Major Symptoms

Another man went to RML Hospital after experiencing chest pain during physical activity for four months.

Tests showed changes linked to a previous myocardial infarction and severe blockages in all the major coronary arteries. He did not have diabetes or hypertension and had no history of tobacco use.

Doctors investigated possible genetic and metabolic factors and found that his father had previously undergone bypass surgery. The patient eventually underwent a four-graft coronary artery bypass procedure.

“Coronary artery diseases occur at an early age in today’s generation, yet the presence of a genetic cause holds precedence,” says Dr Narender Singh Jhajhria, cardio surgeon, RML.

[With TOI inputs]