Now Reading: Post-COVID cardiac emergencies among young adults surge 2.5x: Raipur study
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Post-COVID cardiac emergencies among young adults surge 2.5x: Raipur study
Post-COVID cardiac emergencies among young adults surge 2.5x: Raipur study
A clinical study at Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar Memorial Medical Hospital in Raipur has found that the share of cardiac emergencies among patients aged 40 or younger rose from 8% before the pandemic…
A clinical study at Dr Bhimrao Ambedkar Memorial Medical Hospital in Raipur has found that the share of cardiac emergencies among patients aged 40 or younger rose from 8% before the pandemic to nearly 21% after it, a more than two-and-a-half-fold increase. The study tracked 288 patients admitted with Acute Coronary Syndrome between March 2024 and February 2025.
Within the under-40 cohort, alcohol consumption nearly doubled from 26.4% to over 50.7%, and type-2 diabetes quadrupled from 10.3% to over 45%. Tobacco and gutkha use affected nearly a third of young patients. Dr Smit Shrivastava, who led the research, attributed the trend to post-pandemic lifestyle changes including sedentary work, lack of exercise, substance abuse, and irregular eating.
The study also found that nearly 41% of young patients had single-vessel arterial blockages. Medical experts recommend 30 minutes of daily exercise, avoiding intoxicants, and periodic cardiovascular screenings, especially for those with a family history of heart disease.
Indian Opinion Analysis
India has seen a steady rise in cardiovascular disease among the young over the past decade, but the pandemic accelerated metabolic damage through lockdown-induced inactivity and stress. The Raipur study is one of the first to quantify this shift in a central Indian government hospital, making it representative of a population with limited access to preventive care. With nearly half the under-40 patients now diabetic and half consuming alcohol, the burden on state-run cardiology units will grow. The Chhattisgarh government will need to expand outpatient screening and strengthen district-level cardiac care, since most young patients arrive with acute symptoms and single-vessel blockages that are treatable if caught early. The next milestone will be whether national health surveys confirm this trend at scale.
Source: newindianexpress.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above.
