It’s been long established that young adults in the UAE suffer more heart attacks than their counterparts in Western countries. Experts have gone on record that coronary heart disease, which may cause heart attacks, occurs about 10-15 years earlier in people in the UAE – in their early 30s – than those in the West. Oddly enough, even young athletes on good form are not immune to risks such as abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias), coronary artery disease, and heart muscle disorders, with a definitive increase in the number of coronary events recorded over the past couple of decades. “Drastic changes in lifestyle, including diet and patterns of physical activity, can influence the risk of heart disease in young individuals,” says Dr Brajesh Mittal, Consultant Interventional Cardiology and Head of Cardiology at Medcare Al Safa Hospital. Young athletes’ very dedication to sports and fitness can give rise to cardiac issues. The intensity of physical training and competition can sometimes cause abnormal heart rhythms while repeated strenuous exercise over time can cause wear and tear of the arteries, says Dr Ghassan Nakad, Specialist Interventional Cardiology at Medcare Al Safa Hospital. “New emerging studies show that advanced exercise and stress are associated with increased oxygen consumption. This causes an increase in the inflammation of the artery walls leading to acute heart attacks and coronary obstruction even in younger athletes.”