KUALA LUMPUR – Heart disease, which is often considered a problem for the elderly, is now increasingly affecting young people in Malaysia, thus raising concerns about the increase in cases of this ‘silent killer’.
Sunway Medical Center (SMC) Consultant Cardiologist Dr Richard Chan Tze Ming said the latest medical studies showed an increase in cases of ischemic heart disease, or more commonly known as heart attacks, among young Malaysians over the past decade.
He said in Malaysia, deaths due to ischemic heart disease are increasing, with statistics showing an increase from 9,300 cases in 2010 to 20,300 cases in 2022.
“The worrying thing is the increasing trend of patients in their 20s and 30s suffering from heart attacks. This development is very troubling and shows that immediate changes need to be made,” he said Named in a recent interview.
Dr Richard said several factors contribute to the increase in heart attacks among Malaysians, including a sedentary lifestyle, unhealthy dietary choices, and smoking habits, apart from unavoidable predispositions, such as family history and genetics.
“Our society has become more digital, causing a lack of physical activity. “Many young people spend their days sitting in front of a computer or engaging in screen-based entertainment,” he said.
He said that unmanaged emotional stress, such as those related to work, personal relationships, and financial problems, can also cause heart disease.
“Emotional stress can cause heart disease by increasing blood pressure and related problems, as well as cases of ‘broken heart syndrome’ where extreme stress can cause sudden heart failure.”
“Broken heart syndrome is a condition that causes the heart to suddenly fail to function because the heart area is weakened due to a neurohormonal reaction. So, when there is extreme emotion, the hormones released can damage the heart,” he said.
According to Dr Richard, avoiding heart disease requires significant lifestyle changes, and therefore, Malaysians are advised to do regular physical activity, adopt a healthy diet and avoid smoking.
He also emphasized the importance of regular health checkups, especially for those with previously mentioned risk factors or a family history of heart disease.
He said early detection and management of conditions such as diabetes and high cholesterol is also important.
“We will not know that we have a certain health condition until we undergo an examination,” he said.
Therefore, he strongly urges to undergo an early health check-up, as it is the only way to identify and reduce risk factors.
Established in 1999, SMC is the largest private quaternary hospital to date in Malaysia with 724 licensed beds and more than 60 medical specialties, with the capacity to expand to 1,100 beds once the hospital completes its sixth block, Menara F, within its campus.
The hospital is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year.
Several important awards received by SMC include being listed as one of the 250 World’s Leading Hospitals by Newsweek 2024, as well as recently being listed among the 75 best hospitals for the Cardiac Surgery and Cardiology category in Newsweek Asia Pacific’s Best Specialty Hospitals 2024. – Bernama
