Heart attack patients getting younger, more obese

http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2016-03/acoc-hap031816.php

Public Release: 24-Mar-2016
Heart attack patients getting younger, more obese
Analysis of 2 decades reveals risk factors are on the rise, despite greater awareness
American College of Cardiology

Despite increased understanding of heart disease risk factors and the need for preventive lifestyle changes, patients suffering the most severe type of heart attack have become younger, more obese and more likely to have preventable risk factors such as smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, according to a study scheduled for presentation at the American College of Cardiology's 65th Annual Scientific Session.

•••••

"On the whole, the medical community has done an outstanding job of improving treatments for heart disease, but this study shows that we have to do better on the prevention side," said Samir Kapadia, M.D., professor of medicine and section head for interventional cardiology at Cleveland Clinic and the study's primary investigator. "When people come for routine checkups, it is critical to stress the importance of reducing risk factors through weight reduction, eating a healthy diet and being physically active."

•••••

Many factors are known to increase a person's heart attack risk. While some, such as age and family history, are beyond the individual's control, many risk factors can be reduced through lifestyle choices, such as exercising more, quitting smoking and adopting a heart-healthy diet.

•••••

The researchers divided the records of Cleveland Clinic's STEMI patients from 1995 to 2014 into four quartiles, each representing a span of five years. Analyzing the baseline risk factors and health conditions of patients in each grouping, they found the average age of STEMI patients decreased from 64 to 60, and the prevalence of obesity increased from 31 to 40 percent between the first five-year span and the last five-year span. The proportion of patients with diabetes increased from 24 to 31 percent, the proportion with high blood pressure grew from 55 to 77 percent, and the proportion with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease rose from 5 to 12 percent over the same period. All changes were statistically significant.

One of the most striking findings, according to study authors, was the change in smoking rates, which increased from 28 to 46 percent--a finding counter to national trends, which reflect an overall decline in smoking rates over the past 20 years. All of the other risk factor trends seen in the Cleveland Clinic study were in line with national trends.

The study also revealed a significant increase in the proportion of patients who have three or more major risk factors, which grew from 65 to 85 percent. Kapadia said the findings carry strong messages for both the medical community and the general public.

•••••

For patients, taking ownership means adopting a heart-healthy lifestyle early. "Don't wait until you have a diagnosed heart problem to start taking care of yourself and paying attention to your lifestyle and dietary choices. You should be working hard to avoid developing heart disease in the first place," Kapadia said.

•••••