Heart attacks are no longer limited to older adults. Doctors say a growing number of younger people, especially women, are now at risk. Medical experts point to changing lifestyles, underlying conditions and missed warning signs as key factors behind the trend.
A shifting trend in heart health
For years, heart attacks were considered a condition that developed later in life. Cardiologists say that is no longer the case.
Dr. Tucker Harrison, with Saint Francis Hospital, said age does not necessarily reflect a person’s health.
“Your age to somebody else’s age doesn’t reflect the status of health, it reflects the number of years you’ve been alive,” Harrison said.
Studies show heart attacks in people under 40 have been increasing, with about one in five now occurring in that age group.
A survivor’s warning signs
For months, Ranae Golman said she felt something was wrong.
“I was already experiencing chest pain, arm pain, difficulty breathing,” Golman said.
She said those symptoms were repeatedly dismissed during hospital visits.
“Any time I went to the hospital before it was always ‘oh, you’re fine,’ and then they would send me on my way,” she said.
At the time, Golman said she did not believe her symptoms could be heart-related because of her age.
“Doctors don’t think anything about it whenever it’s happening to somebody that looks like me,” she said.
On Feb. 8, 2021, at age 30, Golman had a heart attack. Doctors later discovered an underlying autoimmune disease, Takayasu Arteritis and ANCA-Associated Vasculitis, that contributed to her condition. Doctors say this cause is rare but not impossible.
She underwent a 6-hour triple bypass surgery and is now on medication to manage her disease.
Why are younger adults at risk of a heart attack?
Harrison said traditional risk factors once seen in older adults are now appearing earlier in life.
“Some of the traditional risk factors that are just historically seen in older adults, now we’re seeing them in much younger adults and even in the pediatric population,” he said.
He said stress, inactivity and highly processed diets are contributing to the shift.
“I definitely think without changing anything, then you’re going to continue to see this trend progress and only worsen because our ability to be inactive, be on screens, consume highly processed food is only more accessible today than it was 20 years ago,” Harrison said.
The importance of early prevention
Doctors say regular checkups with a primary care physician can help identify risks before they become emergencies.
Harrison said many people do not see a doctor regularly and only learn about heart issues during a crisis.
Listening to your body
Golman now shares her story to encourage others to take symptoms seriously and advocate for themselves.
“Only you know your body so if you feel like something is wrong, then listen to it, advocate for yourself and then don’t give up because your life is worth saving,” she said.
Looking ahead
Health experts say heart disease remains the leading cause of death for both men and women. They urge younger adults to recognize symptoms early and make lifestyle changes to reduce risk.
