What causes a heart attack during physical activity? Cardiologists now have an answer

Many celebrities have succumbed to heart attacks at a very young age. Be it the recent death of Dhoom director Sanjay Gadhvi at 56 or the shocking death of Sidharth Shukla a couple of years ago, heart attacks have become so common, especially among those in their early fifties and forties. What’s more heart attacks occurring during physical activity have also been quite alarming.

So why does a heart attack occur when a person is training at a gym or jogging and exercising? According to health experts, it is equally important to manage both mental and physical health through exercise, yoga, meditation, mindfulness, and self-care strategies. Anxieties and stress increase the chances of a heart attack.

Lifestyle factors increase heart attack risk

Although it is difficult to pinpoint one particular factor causing a fatal heart attack, various lifestyle factors have been found to be responsible for causing it.

Poor diet and obesity

Regular consumption of processed foods, unhealthy fats, and sugar in huge amounts combined with very little physical activity can cause high cholesterol, hypertension, and obesity. Nowadays, it is quite common to see such symptoms even in teenagers and young people.

Sedentary lifestyle

Due to technology, a sedentary lifestyle has become very common as most of the time is consumed working at the table. This causes poor cardiovascular conditioning and hence when a person suddenly tries to do intense physical activity it puts strain on the heart and can lead to heart attack.

Vaping and smoking

The hearts of people who vape or smoke are exposed to nicotine and other harmful chemicals which can damage the heart's blood vessels and heart tissues. It subsequently leads to increased heart rate and also a hike in blood pressure.

Substance abuse

The use of tobacco, illicit drugs, and alcohol abuse can acutely affect the functioning of the heart. These can lead to severe issues with not only the health of the heart but also with the functioning of the overall body system.

Blocked vessels and unhealthy condition of the heart

If either of the above factors or many of these factors are a part of your lifestyle , then most probably you have a heart condition like an unhealthy heart or blocked vessels about which you are not aware. So when you perform an exercise with such an unhealthy heart, it becomes difficult for the heart to ensure proper blood flow leading to a heart attack.

It means that if you want to prevent a heart attack you must take care of your lifestyle habits, apart from exercising daily.

(Disclaimer: This piece of article is for basic information purposes only. It's always advisable to consult a doctor for any type of health issue.)