Larger, mature plaques develop fibrous caps. These stable plaques can cause the chest pain called angina, but they don't usually trigger heart attacks.
However, smaller, younger plaques that are unstable can rupture. Blood clots form on the ruptured plaques, as the body makes another attempt to contain damage. As in the case of inflammation, though, the body's defense turns into offense: the clot completely blocks the artery, depriving a portion of the heart muscle of oxygen-rich blood. That's what kills muscle cells and produces a heart attack. Heart attacks are swift, occurring in a matter of minutes. But atherosclerosis itself is slow, developing over years — and it often begins in childhood.
To study the origins of atherosclerosis, scientists from 15 medical centers formed the Pathobiological Determinants of Atherosclerosis in Youth PDAY research group. Over a 7-year period, they investigated cardiovascular risk factors and atherosclerosis in 2, people between the ages of 15 and 34; about three-quarters were male. All were victims of accidents, homicides, or suicides who had been autopsied shortly after death. The researchers looked for evidence of atherosclerosis, reviewed the victims' medical records, and analyzed blood specimens to measure cholesterol levels and detect thiocyanate, a chemical indicator of smoking.
The results were striking, particularly for the male subjects. Fatty streaks of atherosclerosis were identified in coronary arteries as early as age 15 and became progressively more prevalent over the year age span covered by the study. As expected, subjects who'd had the highest LDL cholesterol levels, lowest HDL cholesterol levels, highest blood pressures, and highest blood sugars had the most disease.
Even in these adolescents and young adults, smoking and obesity also increased the risk of atherosclerosis. At all ages, smoking is the most powerful single contributor to atherosclerosis, and research continues to add to the evidence that exposure to secondhand smoke is also an important culprit.
Passive smoking is hazardous to children; children who had been exposed to environmental smoke during daily life demonstrated significant impairment of their arteries' ability to widen when their tissues needed more blood. Since the subjects were just 11 years old, it's easy to see how continued exposure can lead to illness in early adulthood.
In , a team of scientists from the U. In all, the analysis evaluated over 7, heart attacks in more than , individuals. Low birth weight is also associated with an increased risk of stroke in adulthood. Doctors don't know how a baby's weight at birth affects his risk of atherosclerosis decades later. Poor maternal nutrition is one possibility; others include low socioeconomic status and maternal smoking.
Whatever the root cause, babies born small have an increased risk of developing high blood pressure, insulin resistance, and high cholesterol in childhood. Rapid catch-up weight gain in infancy and childhood adds to the risk. Choose a diet full of nutrient-rich foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, poultry, fish and nuts, and aim for at least minutes of physical activity per week. Stress is an unavoidable part of life even when you're young, but how you react to it can lead to a number of health problems.
Stress can lead to behaviors and factors — think high blood pressure and cholesterol levels, physical inactivity, and overeating — that increase your risk of heart disease.
Exercising, not smoking, enjoying a healthy diet and maintaining a positive attitude are good ways to deal with stress and keep your heart healthy. The Penn Heart and Vascular blog provides the latest information on heart disease prevention, nutrition and breakthroughs in cardiovascular care.
Think Again. Patients who have a heart attack in their 20s or 30s face the same risks as older patients. Once you have that first heart attack, you have the same chance of dying from a second major heart event or a stroke regardless of your age. High blood sugar damages your blood vessels, which increases the chance of fats building up in your arteries and causing atherosclerosis.
Patients with diabetes are also more likely to have other chronic health diseases that significantly increase the risk of a heart attack , including high blood pressure and high cholesterol. Hypertension, or high blood pressure, is one of the biggest risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Unfortunately, just like the trend in heart attacks, the incidence of hypertension is rising faster in young adults than in older adults.
High blood pressure makes your heart muscles thicken, harms your blood vessels, and increases your risk of a heart attack. Being overweight has a significant influence on your risk of having a heart attack for several reasons.
For starters, carrying extra weight places a high demand on your heart. However, patients who are overweight and obese often have other health conditions that detract from their heart health, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol. Children who enjoy a mix of recreational and aerobic activities are probably getting enough exercise.
If your child has a medical condition that limits physical activity, be sure to talk to the doctor about safe activities for your child. If your child is physically inactive, the first thing you can do is limit the amount of time spent watching TV, playing video games, or surfing the Internet. Most importantly, spend time with your child, and create family outings that involve some type of physical activity e.
Exercise is important for all children, even those who do not like sports, have little coordination, or have a disability. Visit U. Control portions the amount of food they eat and have them eat fewer calories. Do not use food as a reward for good behavior or good grades. Limit their snacking and be aware of the snack foods they are eating. Know what your child eats at school. Eat meals as a family so it is easier to know what and how much your child is eating. Increase their physical activity and find fun exercise activities you can do as a family.
Limit the amount of time your child spends watching TV and playing on the computer. Physical Inactivity Physical inactivity is a major risk factor for heart disease. Aside from preventing heart disease risk factors later in life, regular exercise will Help control weight.
Strengthen bones. Regular exercise leads to better bone development and will lower the risk of thin or brittle bones osteoporosis in adulthood. Increase self-esteem and self-confidence. Exercise can make your child feel better physically and mentally. Improve cardiovascular health. How do I know if my child is getting enough exercise? If you think that your child is not getting enough exercise, ask yourself these questions: How much time per week does your child spend doing sedentary activities like watching TV or playing video games?
These are called sedentary activities, because there is little or no physical activity involved. How much time per week does your child spend doing recreational activities like bike riding, rollerblading, snowboarding, or water skiing? Does your child like to bike or walk to where they are going?
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