Myocardial infarction in young and middle-aged people: Beware of the invisible killer in life!

Author: Yang Zhu, Peking Union Medical College Hospital

Ma Fangfang Peking Union Medical College Hospital

Reviewer: Guo Xiaoxiao, Chief Physician, Peking Union Medical College Hospital

On a seemingly ordinary night, the ward was as quiet as usual, with only the occasional footsteps and the slight ticking of the monitor coming from a distance.

"Come quickly! A patient with acute myocardial infarction has been sent to the emergency room!" A doctor's shout echoed in the corridor, with obvious anxiety and urgency in his voice. After a period of intensive treatment, the patient's condition finally stabilized.

The patient was a 35-year-old man who was in a very low mood after being hospitalized. He kept telling me, "I am usually in good health, I often take part in physical exercise, and I have physical examinations every year. I really don't understand why I suddenly suffered a heart attack."

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I asked him, "How are the results of your annual physical examinations?" He responded, "Overall, they are fine, but some indicators are high. Blood pressure is around 150/80 mmHg, fasting blood sugar is about 8.0 mmol/L, and low-density lipoprotein is around 4.0 mmol/L." I then asked, "Have you seen a doctor for further monitoring and treatment?" He said, "I didn't monitor these high indicators. I feel that my body is fine, and I hope to slowly return to normal through self-regulation, so I just adjust through diet control and physical exercise."

After the patient was admitted to the ward, we helped him to conduct a complete examination, among which the abnormal indicators were blood pressure 150/90 mmHg, fasting blood sugar 8.5 mmol/L, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol 4.2 mmol/L. These abnormal indicators are all risk factors for acute myocardial infarction (abbreviated as "MI"). For young and middle-aged people, if these indicators are found to be abnormal during the physical examination, they must be taken seriously. Among them, when the clinic blood pressure exceeds 140/90 mmHg, fasting blood sugar is higher than 6.1 mmol/L, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol is higher than 3.4 mmol/L, it is necessary to go to the cardiology department for further comprehensive examinations, and follow the treatment plan recommended by the doctor to actively control these risk factors that may cause acute myocardial infarction.

Let us now discuss the risk factors for acute myocardial infarction in young and middle-aged people and how to prevent them.

1. Risk factors for myocardial infarction in young and middle-aged people

Unhealthy diet : A high-fat, high-salt, and high-sugar diet significantly increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. For example, excessive intake of high-fat foods can lead to increased cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in the blood, which in turn causes atherosclerotic plaques to gradually form on the blood vessel walls. A high-salt diet can increase blood pressure, while a high-sugar diet can cause blood sugar fluctuations and increase insulin resistance, all of which can have adverse effects on the cardiovascular system.

Smoking : Harmful substances such as nicotine and carbon monoxide are extremely harmful to the cardiovascular system. Nicotine can cause blood vessels to constrict, increase heart rate, increase blood viscosity, and even cause thrombosis. Carbon monoxide can reduce the oxygen content in the blood and increase the burden on the heart.

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Lack of exercise : Long-term sitting and lack of sufficient physical activity will lead to a decrease in the body's metabolic rate, fat accumulation, and weight gain, which in turn will lead to the occurrence of a series of risk factors for cardiovascular diseases such as obesity, high blood pressure, and high blood lipids.

Work stress : Long-term mental stress and overwork will cause the body to secrete too many stress hormones, such as adrenaline and cortisol. These hormones will increase blood pressure and heart rate, and long-term effects will cause damage to the cardiovascular system.

Lack of sleep : Lack of sleep can disrupt the body's biological clock, affect the normal function of the endocrine system, make indicators such as blood pressure and blood sugar unstable, and also reduce the body's immunity and increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Obesity : Being overweight will increase the burden on the heart. The heart of an obese person needs to work harder to provide the body with enough blood and oxygen. Being in this high-load state for a long time can easily lead to impaired heart function.

Genetic factors : If there is a history of cardiovascular disease in the family, the individual's risk of cardiovascular disease will increase accordingly; this may be related to the impact of genetic genes on the structure and function of the cardiovascular system.

Metabolic syndrome : A syndrome of multiple risk factors including high blood pressure, high blood sugar, abdominal obesity and abnormal blood lipid levels; metabolic syndrome greatly increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.

2. Strategies for the prevention of myocardial infarction

Healthy diet : Choose foods rich in dietary fiber, vitamins and minerals, such as whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, and limit the intake of high-fat, high-salt and high-sugar foods such as processed foods and fast food. Whole grain foods are rich in nutrients and help lower cholesterol and blood sugar levels; fresh fruits and vegetables are rich in antioxidants that can protect the cardiovascular system.

Quitting smoking : Quitting smoking is an important measure to reduce the risk of myocardial infarction. After quitting smoking, harmful substances such as nicotine and carbon monoxide in the body will gradually decrease, and blood vessel function will gradually return to normal, thereby reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Exercise regularly : Do at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week, such as brisk walking, jogging, swimming, etc. Aerobic exercise can enhance cardiopulmonary function, improve the body's metabolic level, lower blood pressure, blood sugar and blood lipid levels, and help prevent cardiovascular disease.

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Stress relief : Relieve stress through exercise, meditation, hobbies, etc. Exercise can release neurotransmitters such as endorphins in the body, making people feel happy and relaxed; meditation can help people concentrate and reduce anxiety and tension; cultivating hobbies can enrich life, divert attention, and relieve work and life pressure.

Adequate sleep : Ensure 7 to 9 hours of high-quality sleep every night; good sleep can allow the body to get sufficient rest and recovery, and help maintain the normal function of the cardiovascular system.

Regular physical examinations : Regularly monitor blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol levels to detect problems in time and take appropriate treatment measures. Early detection and control of risk factors for cardiovascular disease can effectively reduce the risk of myocardial infarction.

3. Early identification of myocardial infarction

Chest pain : The most common symptom of myocardial infarction is chest pain, which usually manifests as a sense of oppression, tightness or burning. This discomfort is usually behind the sternum and may radiate to the left arm, neck, jaw, etc. The duration of chest pain is generally long, up to several minutes or even longer.

Other symptoms : including dyspnea, nausea, sweating, syncope, back pain or jaw pain. These symptoms may occur alone or with chest pain. If these symptoms occur, you should be highly alert to the possibility of myocardial infarction.

Time is life. If you experience the above symptoms, you should call the emergency number immediately. The time for the treatment of myocardial infarction is very critical. The earlier the treatment, the better the prognosis.

IV. Conclusion

The threat of acute myocardial infarction to young and middle-aged people should not be underestimated. We should not be blindly confident and relax our vigilance just because we are still young. By raising awareness of risk factors for myocardial infarction, regular physical examinations, early detection and active prevention and treatment measures, we can effectively reduce the occurrence of myocardial infarction and protect the heart health of young and middle-aged people.