By Ziaulla Nomani,
Heart disease is no more associated with old age. It is fast catching to the younger population of the city, mainly due to smoking and consumption of tobacco related products. Of-late smoking has become a major cause of cardiac ailments among youngsters.
Around 15% of the 1000 odd patients arrived at Hamdulay’s cardiac rehab centre, in the last three months, for cardiac consultation were youngsters in the age bracket of 25 to 35 years and almost of them were cigarette smokers.
Dr. Zainuabedin Hamdulay, chief consultant cardiothoracic surgeon with Wockhardth hospital and founder of Hamdulay’s cardiac rehab centre, says, “Examination reveal that many of these young patients are regular smokers. Smoking cigarette or consuming tobacco increases the cholesterol deposition. Smoking impacts the heart and blood pressure.”
He further said that earlier cardiac diseases occurred in people in 50s but now it was being reported in youngsters in early 30s. “We are witnessing a large number of young heart patients who are not born with the disease but have acquired it.”
Many take to smoking by watching their elders smoking in-front of them or due to peer pressure. For today’s youth it’s the cool and style quotient.
Being a cardiothoracic surgeon to Lilavati, Breach Candy and Prince Aly Khan hospital, Dr. Hamdulay said five years ago, we hardly saw young patients with heart problems. Now, we get many cases where cardiovascular disease affects people in the age group of 25 to 35.
In order to create awareness and help youngster to quit smoking Hamdulay Heart foundation is distributing booklet, a guide on ill effects of smoking and how to quit it in easy steps. The book can be read online on its website as well.
Meanwhile in a recent survey conducted by Blossom media in association with Hamdulay Heart Foundation it was found that the average youth smoke around 5 – 7 stick per day, they also have a belief that it they smoke in limit it will effect has any adverse effect on them.
On the anti-smoking advertisement campaign the youth interviewed said they find it preach and don’t encourage to quit.
Apart from the cardiac problem smokers are also prone to oral cancer which accounts to 30 per cent of the total cancer cases in India, says a report.
(Courtesy – Muallim – the Muslim lifestyle magazine )