Should one worry about heart attack at the age of 32?

Question

Hello doctor,

My wife had an echo, stress test, several EKGs, and a 30-day event monitor done about three and a half years ago. She still gets a slight pain in the chest area from time to time. Her grandparents were the only ones who had any heart trouble. She also has extreme health anxiety about her heart.

Should she be worried about SCA or a heart attack at age 32? I want to put her fears to rest. She takes Atenolol 25 mg for her fast heart rate because of the anxiety. She is 5’1 and weighs 175.

Please help.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

Unfortunately, I got no clues on the results of those cardiac investigations. If possible, can you please elaborate a little bit on what the outcome of those heart tests you mentioned earlier?

If I assume there was not much they found abnormal in the cardiac evaluation three and a half years back, then she need not worry about a heart attack. If there are no major risk factors, she is less likely to have SCA (sudden cardiac arrest). Females are less prone to getting SCA compared to men. Getting pain in the chest at the same time every time is not so relevant to the heart-associated pain unless there is a specific activity that triggers that pain at the same time every day.

She should definitely take her medications on time, and I would suggest getting all the heart investigations done afresh. Consult her cardiologist for a follow-up visit in order to get a re-evaluation. Please add some details regarding her past cardiac test results in order to get a more personalized response. You can add a follow-up query here.

I would be happy to assist as soon as possible.

Revert with more information to an internal medicine physician.

Thank you.

Answer 2

Hello,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

It was good to know she had cleared all the cardiac tests. She had no blockage in heart vessels, and a recent EKG confirmed all is fine with her heart. This means she should be a little scared about her cardiac health. Coronary artery disease (CAD) is mostly associated with the cause of sudden cardiac arrest or SCA. So, the risk factors associated with CAD are also linked to the SCA.

Other diseases associated with SCA are:

Heart's enlargement.
Heart attack.
Diseases of the valves of the heart.
Problems in the electrical activity of the heart and heart rhythm issues.
Congenital (by birth) abnormalities of the heart.

Overall risk factors for heart diseases are:

Family history.
Smoking.
High blood pressure.
Obesity.
Taking illegal drugs.
High blood cholesterol.
Obesity.
Sedentary lifestyle.
Diabetes mellitus.
Drinking more than two drinks of alcohol a day.
Not taking a proper diet.
Metabolic imbalances.

Hope it helps.

For more information, consult an internal medicine physician.

Thank you.