Expert Explains Causes of Heart Disease among Younger Generation

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Cardiology pediatric consultant Aditya Agita Sembiring warned the younger generation that living an unhealthy lifestyle can cause heart disease which may strike at a younger age, Antaranews reported. 

"It isn’t a sudden occurrence for someone to have heart disease. Take the most common example, coronary heart disease. It usually happens to the elderly aged 70 years. Now at 30 years old, you can also suffer from a heart attack," said Aditya who is a member of the Indonesian Cardiology Specialist Association (PERKI). 

He elaborated further, "Why? One aspect is because of lifestyle. A healthy [person] can’t suddenly get a heart attack. That's impossible, there must be a risk factor."

Aditya also conveyed five risk factors for heart disease, namely diabetes, hypertension, cholesterol, history of the disease in the family, and smoking. Smoking reportedly increases the risk of young people suffering from heart disease.

“Now junior high and high school students already smoke up to two packs daily. Imagine it, this lifestyle is why the current young generation has already suffered from heart disease,” Aditya explained. 

However, he acknowledged that the technological breakthrough in health has helped detect this issue earlier, which could help the younger generation. 

Aditya appealed to the public, especially the younger generation, to change their lifestyle, avoid smoking, and adopt a healthy diet.

ANTARA

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