Adults under 40 with mental disorders are 58% more at risk of heart attacks: Study

A new study published by the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology says that adults in their 20s and 30s with mental disorders have a higher chance of suffering a heart attack or stroke, reports The New Indian Express.

Individuals who are younger than 40 and have a mental disorder, such as anxiety, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), psychoses and other stress-related issues, are 58% more likely to suffer a heart attack and 42% more likely to have a stroke than those with no disorders. 

Doctors weigh in
The report highlighted that “...cardiovascular disease prevention efforts are needed to prevent heart attacks and strokes in young patients with mental disorders.” Consultant Cardiologist Dr Manjunath, Apollo Hospitals, said, “As Asians we are at a bigger risk of suffering a heart attack, there is at least a 20-year difference between Europeans and Indians when it comes to the age of having these attacks.” 

He said that at present, he is treating a 23-year-old woman who had suffered a heart attack. “Her reports showed no comorbidities and no genetic indications to have heart diseases,” he said. He states that people who have mental disorders are more prone to heart issues as they are not able to express their pain like others. 

Dr Virbhan Balai, Cardiologist, Max Super Speciality Hospital, said, “Young individuals with mental disorders are definitely at higher risk compared to someone with no mental health disease. However, the numbers will never be close to people in the older age group due to a large number of comorbidities.”

Dr Manjunath said the way forward is to adapt to a better lifestyle, exercise regularly, change eating habits and quickly consult a doctor if any symptoms of chest pain are felt. Experts said the heart attack numbers among the younger generation have gone up by at least 10% post-COVID. 

The study stated, “One in every eight of the 20-to-39-year-old participants had some kind of mental illness including depression, anxiety and insomnia.”  A total of 6,557,727 individuals were examined between 2009 and 2012, and 13.1% of the participants had at least one mental disorder.