New Delhi

A 24-year-old UPSC aspirant suffered a heart attack and underwent angioplasty at a Delhi-NCR hospital after doctors found double-vessel coronary artery disease, highlighting the risk of serious heart disease even among younger adults.

The doctor attributed the young man’s cardiovascular risk to a combination of smoking, lifestyle factors, a strong family history, and high LDL cholesterol and Lipoprotein(a) levels. The man had been experiencing chest pain at night, which he and his friends initially attributed to acidity and gas. When the pain did not subside the next morning, he was brought to Fortis Gurugram, where an ECG showed that he had suffered a heart attack, an official statement said. An angiogram subsequently showed double-vessel coronary artery disease, requiring angioplasty, said Dr Sanjat Chiwane, Senior Director, Cardiology, Fortis Gurugram. Chiwane said the 24-year-old had been living with friends while preparing for the civil services examination and had irregular sleep and eating patterns. He had also been smoking for around five to six years, and there was a reported history of substance abuse.

The patient also had a strong family history of heart disease, with his father dying at a young age, between 35 and 40 years, Chiwane said.

His lipid profile showed low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol above 190 milligrams per decilitre (mg/dL), while his Lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a), level was around 150, which was also high, he said.