Reasons Young Children Can Get Heart Attack

JAKARTA - Heart attack can occur in young people if risk factors have emerged from the start or if there is a genetic factor in heart disease. In men, younger age means under 55 years, while in women it means under 65 years.

"If risk factors arise at a younger age, it is very possible that a heart attack will also occur at a younger age," said Cardiologist dr. Azlan Sain, Sp.JP from the Indramayu District Hospital. quoted from ANTARA, October 6.

People who have a heart attack at a young age on average have a genetic risk factor for heart disease, this is evidenced by the presence of a parent or sister of a mother who died from a heart attack at a younger age.

Doctor Azlan explained that the risk factors for heart disease include factors that can be modified and cannot be modified. Unmodified factors include age, gender, and family history with heart attacks that die at a younger age.

Meanwhile, modifiable risk factors include obesity, smoking, lack of physical activity, excessive alcohol consumption, excess fat (dislididemia) levels, and excessive stress.

Although risk factors such as age and gender cannot be changed, a person can adopt a healthy lifestyle in order to reduce the risk of developing heart disease.

"I once had experience, a man had a heart attack at the age of 28, while playing futsal. Furthermore, it turns out that he already has 2 packs of smoking habits per day since grade 3 elementary school," he explained.

Azlan stressed that sudden death at a younger age is not always due to a heart attack, although the proportion of the causes is still mostly caused by a heart attack, an attack due to blockages in the blood vessels of the heart.

"There are times when heart rhythm disorders such as Brugada, or very thick heart muscle disorders known as Hypertropic Cardiomyyopathy, can also cause sudden death, which is not caused by a heart attack," said Azlan.