Causes Of Heart Problems In Young People
Posted on: 26 January 2017
There is a common myth that heart diseases only afflict people in old age. It is true that old age is characterized by numerous diseases, including heart problems. However, available evidence shows that heart disease can strike at any age. Here are some of the issues that trigger heart problems in young people:
Inherited Conditions
Not all heart problems are brought by lifestyle decisions; some heart problems are actually inherited. This means you can live your life as healthy as the next person and still experience a heart problem. A classic example is Long QT syndrome, an inherited disorder that causes the heart to lose its rhythmic beatings. The irregular heartbeats, often fast, may cause your heart to experience fatigue, and in serious cases, it can threaten your life.
Second Hand Tobacco Smoke
You don't have to be an active smoker to experience the harmful effects of tobacco smoke. If you have been exposed to secondhand smoke for a great part of your life, you are likely to experience its effects just as if you have been smoking for a long time. For example, a teenager who has been living in a house where both parents smoke is in danger of developing smoking-related complications, which include heart problems.
Low Birth Weight
Studies show that a child who was born underweight has a higher risk of heart diseases than those who were born with normal weight. Moreover, the risk is more apparent in early adulthood than in childhood. In fact, the lower the birth weight, the higher the risk of heart problems later on. This may mean that anything that leads to low birth weight increases the risk for heart diseases later on. Examples of common causes of low birth weight include infections in the mother, multiple fetuses, cervix abnormalities, smoking, and inadequate maternal weight gain, among other things.
Childhood Diseases
Lastly, there are also childhood diseases that increase one's risk of developing heart problems. A classic example is Kawasaki disease, which is characterized by inflammation of the blood vessels, including coronary arteries. Heart disease is one of the complications of Kawasaki disease.
Therefore, it's important to take your heart health seriously even if you are still a young adult; don't assume that you are still safe from afflictions of the heart. Take the necessary steps to lower your overall risk heart diseases; the more risks you have, the higher the chances that you will experience heart problems. This means you should lead a healthy lifestyle, avoid smoking and limit stress. All is not lost, however, if you are already dealing with heart problems; the current state of heart care means that many people can lead active lives despite their heart problems.
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