Gone are the times when only the boomers and Gen X are afflicted by heart conditions. Lately, Gen Z too are showing signs of heart diseases, and even in extreme cases succumbing to fatal heart attacks. Lately, there’s one condition that’s seen among the young adults, one which is an early sign of heart attacks in Gen Z. Dr Jyotirmaya Dash, senior consultant, interventional cardiologist, at MGM Healthcare, Chennai, told HT Lifestyle in an interview that it’s ‘arterial stiffness.’
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She remarked that initially, this too was regarded as a middle-aged concern. But just like how commonly heart conditions are no longer limited to older generations, this issue of arterial stiffness is widely observed in young adults.
What’s worse? Arterial stiffness has the potential to be life-threatening, too! The cardiologist shared, “Arterial stiffness is also an indicator of heart attacks, strokes and other premature cardiovascular diseases.”
What is arterial stiffness?
What is this condition that is putting young adults at risk of heart attacks? Dr Dash revealed the clinical explanation, “Arterial stiffness is the loss of elasticity of large arteries, importantly the aorta and carotids. Healthy arteries tend to expand and pull back with each heartbeat. This cushions the surge of the blood ejected from the heart. When it stiffens, the cushioning effect is gone, which leads to an increase in the systolic blood pressure, increased and faster transmission of the pressure wave onward the vascular tree.”
In simple words? It means your heart’s arteries lose their ability to be naturally flexible. Now what happens? Normally, they would stretch with every heartbeat, but with this condition, they are stiff instead. As the cardiologist flagged, ‘the cushioning effect’ is gone. It makes your heart work much harder to pump blood. This also increases blood pressure. And over time, if this is not given medical care, it may lead to a heart attack.
Who is at risk and what are the major causes?
Obesity is one of the biggest risk factors for this condition. The cardiologist explained, “Children who are overweight and have parental metabolic syndrome tend to show higher pulse wave velocity. In practical and clinical terms, a 20-year-old with the starting of arterial stiffening can biologically resemble a middle-aged individual’s vasculature and hence, has a higher lifetime risk of cardiovascular disease.”
Further, blood pressure, insulin resistance, cholesterol and hypertension also strain arteries, as she added, “Early stiffening of arteries is also caused by elevated blood pressure; individuals with borderline hypertension increase the load on artery walls, which accelerates stiffening; central fat accumulation can trigger chronic inflammation and insulin resistance in individuals. Adverse lipids can cause low HDL Cholesterol, and increasing rates of insulin resistance in young adults can increase vascular stiffness as well as endothelial.”
In addition to existing health conditions like high cholesterol that can stiffen arteries from within, there are also certain habits that accelerate the problem.
The cardiologist flagged smoking and vaping because they largely contribute to oxidative stress. Talking about why this is harmful, she noted, “It can cause degeneration of vascular elasticity even in short periods.” She emphasised on ‘shorter periods’ particularly as even if you smoke or vape for a relatively bried time, the damage can still be long-lasting, triggering early heart problems because of oxidative stress.
Gen Z’s late-night doomscrolls or binge-watching have pushed healthy sleep to the periphery, or they are chugging coffee for all-nighters. The point being, sleep is often not given due priority. Dr Dash cautioned against chronic sleep deprivation as well, as it can disrupt metabolism and cause sympathetic overactivity, both of which are often associated with a higher risk of arterial stiffness
How to prevent arterial stiffness?
_1632997411712_1632997414716.jpg "Reduce weight to immediately alleviate arterial stiffness risks. (Shutterstock)")
Here are some tips shared by Dr Jyotirmaya Dash to mitigate the risks of arterial stiffness:
- Manage weight: A reduction in body weight, even 5-10% can help in decreasing the chances of arterial stiffness in young adults. Exercise for at least 150 minutes a day to improve vascular elasticity.
- Diet: Reduce salt and sugar in diet, and eat more food rich in Omega 3.
- Quit smoking: Quit smoking and vaping almost immediately to decrease arterial stiffness.
- Proper medication on time for chronic diseases: Medical intervention is necessary when persistent diabetes or hypertension is diagnosed, to prevent irreversible vascular changes.
- Routine check-up: Start with routine checks of blood pressure, fasting glucose and lipid profile. This is especially relevant for a person with a family history of premature heart diseases, as well as persistent metabolic syndrome and hypertension, to have regular check-ups.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.