Veteran actress Surekha Sikri passes away due to cardiac arrest: Habits which make you prone to compromised heart health

Celebrated television and film actress, Surekha Sikhri, known for her award-winning work passed away this morning (July 16, 2021) at the age of 75, following a massive cardiac arrest. The actress had reportedly also been suffering from health complications in the past.

While actress Surekha Sikri's death is a terrible loss to the industry, the incidence of cardiac arrests and heart attacks amongst people of all ages has been on a rise in recent years. From the recent passing away of cricketer Yashpal Sharma, director Raj Kaushal and a massive cardiac arrest that struck footballer Christian Erikson, rising rates of heart attacks, cardiac arrests, and complications are adding to people’s worries...

Both cardiac arrests and heart attacks are affecting people of all ages. While both the conditions impact the heart profoundly and are often used interchangeably, they are not the same.

A heart attack primarily refers to a condition wherein the blood flow to the heart is stopped which then increases pressure on the heart. In the case of a cardiac arrest, the heart malfunctions and stops beating. While cardiac arrest is likened to be an electrical problem, a heart attack often arises due to issues of circulation. Nonetheless, both the conditions can strike suddenly and have severe outcomes. The risk of cardiac arrests is more heightened, but both heart attacks and cardiac arrests are both linked to common risk factors.

There has been a rise in the number of young and middle-aged people suffering from heart attacks and cardiac arrests especially for those under the age of 50, and as per experts, the numbers have soared even more during the COVID-19 pandemic- attributed to bleak awareness about symptoms, prolonged wait to healthcare facilities and comorbidities.

Overall, doctors also suggest that the rise in sudden cardiovascular complications are also largely due to the changing modern lifestyles and sedentary habits, which were never so prevalent before.

Regardless of age, there are also some other risk factors which substantially increase one's risk of developing cardiovascular complications, and sudden attacks. We brief you about some factors that compromise heart health and put you at risk:

Obesity can be one of the biggest risk-factors for poor heart health and can also put you at a heightened risk for severe complications, such as cardiac arrests. High BMI levels and being overweight is linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular complications, including coronary artery disease and heart failure. Obesity increases the level of inflammation in the body, and the change in body composition can increase pressure on the heart valves and arteries, which could turn fatal if not prevented in time. Being overweight also puts one at the risk of developing additional comorbidities, such as poor blood pressure control.

As per doctors, diabetes can act as a silent killer on the rise. While a battle with COVID-19 can disrupt insulin regulation and result in uncontrolled blood sugar levels, a diabetes diagnosis is intrinsically linked to heart ailments, and can increase one's risk of complications of cardiovascular complications.

Unmanaged blood sugar levels can damage blood vessels and connecting nerves over time, which adds risk and makes your heart work harder. Moreover, people with diabetes have an increased risk of other comorbidities that are known to be bad for the heart.

Unmanaged, or uncontrolled blood pressure levels induce stress on your heart and keep it from doing its job. Excessive strain and pressure can cause the coronary arteries, playing a vital role in functioning to clog up with plaque and form clots, which then interrupt the flow of oxygenated blood and leads to irreparable damage, or sometimes, even death of vital tissues. Hence, blood pressure must always be managed well, and preventive measures must be taken to correct it.

A person who has already suffered from a heart disease or related cardiovascular complications carries a higher risk of developing sudden cardiac arrests and poor heart health as they live through the years. The risks could be made worse if the person doesn't follow a good lifestyle, correct risk factors such as diet or lifestyle, or simply doesn't take prescribed medications. This is because certain medications, such as beta-blockers, anticoagulants or cholesterol correcting medications are given to play a supportive role, such as control heart rhythm, functioning, prevent blood clots etc. While in the temporary run, they can cause a withdrawal effect, over time, if the medicines are not taken in their due form, they can increase the risk of severe complications such as heart attack, stroke and put you at the risk of sudden cardiac arrest as well.

As per research, children of parents with heart disease are more likely to develop heart disease themselves. The risks of dying or encountering complications from cardiovascular complications also increase with age, with more deaths reported amongst women over 60 than men.

A significant history of heart disease or disorders, along with other risk factors substantially raise the likelihood of a person developing heart disease, ailments or suffering from a sudden cardiac ailment. While these are certain uncontrollable risk factors, experts emphasise on the need to control modifiable risk factors- which heighten the risk of worsening and linked to poor outcomes.

According to experts, stress and poor mental health can indirectly pose problems for your heart health, and is primarily one of the reasons why cardiac complications are rising amongst the young and healthy, or the ones in their 20s or 30s. While the body's response to stress can show up in the form of physical symptoms like pain or strains, stress also increases the response of cortisol in the body, which speeds up your heart rate (resulting in erratic arrhythmias) and makes your blood pressure rise. Apart from this, stress can also contribute to poor health behaviors such as smoking, overeating, unhealthy diet, sedentary lifestyle, lack of physical activity- which are all plain bad for good health. Chronic stress can also be an extreme risk factor for heart attacks and stroke.

While the pandemic has changed the way we live and how we work, there's been growing attention to what a poor, sedentary lifestyle has been doing to us over time. Sedentary methods of living, little or no physical activity, exercise can increase the risk of being overweight, encountering lifestyle disorders that all directly impact our heart health.

For better heart health and overall health, it's crucial to spend at least 30-40 minutes exercising or being physically active, with more emphasis on activities which pump up the heart- such as aerobics, HIIT, swimming, running, etc.