What’s causing heart attacks in comparatively younger women?

Of late, the cases of sudden cardiac arrest even among women are on the rise due to unhealthy lifestyles and extreme stress. Most of the working women hardly manage time for a daily workout. Less physical activity, Long working hours, sleep deprivation due to the use of smartphones at home for long periods, high consumption of junk food daily, extreme stress owing to imbalance between professional and personal life, excessive consumption of alcohol and smoking to beat stress are making women more vulnerable to health conditions leading to episodes of sudden cardiac arrest. These health conditions include diabetes, high blood pressure, cholesterol, Obesity etc. In some cases, inherited heart conditions can also contribute to cardiac arrest.

Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is the abrupt loss of heart function. It occurs due to an electrical malfunction in the heart, which disrupts the heart’s natural pumping activity. The heart beats very rapidly and chaotically thus is unable to pump blood throughout the body. It is often fatal because the electrical disturbance inhibits the blood flow in the body.Without oxygen-rich blood to the brain and other organs, the organs fail within minutes, resulting in death. Shortness of breath, and fluttering of the heart are the most prominent symptoms for women 24 hours before a cardiac arrest whereas chest pain is the dominant symptom for men. It is estimated that about 7-lakh deaths due to sudden cardiac arrest occur in India every year.


When SCA sets in, the person loses consciousness and stops breathing. Because the heart has stopped, the victim will have no pulse. It is an emergency situation. Experts say that prompt action must be taken immediately, as the victim’s chance of survival decreases rapidly in minutes.Time is critical for the recognition and management of SCA. It can be treated and reversed but needs to be addressed urgently. The survival rate can be as high as 90% if treatment is initiated within the first few minutes after the arrest.

If a patient is at risk of SCA, he/she may be advised to undergo an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD). ICD is a device which treats an event of electrical disturbance if it occurs. It is a small device similar to a pacemaker but technically more advanced in correcting arrhythmias (fast heart rate). Today, people can also make the most of the availability of an automated external defibrillator (AED) for managing the episodes outside of hospital if a patient is found to have SCA. These machines use electric pulses to restart the heart in the event of an emergency, helping the patient to continue breathing while clinical help arrives.

Tips should be followed for a healthy heart:

• Keep your blood pressure and sugar under check. If you notice any fluctuations, seek immediate medical help.
• Smoking increases the risk of coronary heart disease by narrowing arteries over a sustained period. Quit smoking in any form immediately.
• Keep your cholesterol levels well within the prescribed limit.
• About 45 minutes of daily exercise, for 5 days a week is recommended.
• A post-menopausal woman should watch out for a racing heart and sudden breathlessness
• Women with a family history of heart conditions should consider cardiac screenings to detect any potential issues early.
• Exercise daily to maintain a healthy weight, reduce risk of diabetes, high blood pressure
• Eat a well balanced diet. Also Incorporate green leafy vegetables, fresh fruits in your daily diet to keep your heart healthy
• To reduce stress, do practices like meditation and yoga daily
• Taking quality sleep daily helps keep your brain and heart healthy
• Refrain from the consumption of alcohol

(Author: Dr. Gajinder Kumar Goyal, Director Cardiology, Marengo Asia Hospitals, Faridabad)