The Rising Burden of Heart Attacks: Causes, Trends, and Prevention Strategies

Year : 2025 | Volume : 14 | Issue : 02 | Page : 1-11
    By

    Satish Kumar Sarankar,

  • Sushma Somkuwar,

  1. Professor & Principal, Department of Pharmacy, Mansarovar Global University, Sehore, Madhya Pradesh, India
  2. Associate Professor, Department of Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, LNCT University, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India

Abstract

document.addEventListener(‘DOMContentLoaded’,function(){frmFrontForm.scrollToID(‘frm_container_abs_190299’);});Edit Abstract & Keyword

Heart attacks, or myocardial infarctions, remain a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, with their incidence rising steadily across diverse populations. This review explores the increasing prevalence of heart attacks, emphasizing traditional risk factors, such as poor diet, physical inactivity, smoking, and medical conditions like hypertension, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia. It also highlights emerging risk factors, such as chronic infections, pollutants, substance abuse, and the lasting cardiovascular effects of COVID-19. Alarming trends show rising heart attack rates among younger adults, driven by lifestyle, genetics, and missed warning signs. Gender-based differences in symptoms and outcomes call for tailored care. The review emphasizes prevention and public health strategies, noting that lifestyle changes – like healthy eating, regular exercise, and quitting smoking – significantly reduce heart attack risk. Public awareness campaigns, leveraging mass media and digital platforms, can enhance symptom recognition and encourage timely medical intervention. Policy measures, like clearer nutrition labels, taxes on unhealthy foods, and stricter anti-tobacco laws, can help reduce cardiovascular risks. Urban planning that supports clean energy, lowers pollution, and encourages physical activity also promotes heart health. Despite progress, challenges remain – socioeconomic gaps, limited healthcare access, and behavioural resistance hinder prevention. Research gaps persist in understanding the impact of emerging risk factors like chronic infections, stimulants, and environmental toxins on atherosclerosis. The future of cardiovascular disease management lies in the development of advanced diagnostic tools, such as AI-assisted imaging and genetic risk profiling, which can facilitate early detection and personalized treatment strategies. Ongoing research into therapies, like PCSK9 inhibitors for hyperlipidaemia and SGLT2 inhibitors for diabetes, offers hope for better long-term cardiovascular outcomes. The rise in heart attack cases highlights the need for a comprehensive approach involving prevention, early intervention, and policy reform. Public health efforts should promote heart-healthy habits, expand access to care, and address social disparities. Combining technology with community strategies can help reduce heart disease’s global impact and improve cardiovascular health for all.

Keywords: Cardiovascular disease, risk factors, heart attack prevention, public health interventions, lifestyle modifications, hypertension, diabetes, COVID-19

[This article belongs to Research and Reviews : Journal of Surgery ]

How to cite this article:
Satish Kumar Sarankar, Sushma Somkuwar. The Rising Burden of Heart Attacks: Causes, Trends, and Prevention Strategies. Research and Reviews : Journal of Surgery. 2025; 14(02):1-11.
How to cite this URL:
Satish Kumar Sarankar, Sushma Somkuwar. The Rising Burden of Heart Attacks: Causes, Trends, and Prevention Strategies. Research and Reviews : Journal of Surgery. 2025; 14(02):1-11. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/rrjos/article=2025/view=0


document.addEventListener(‘DOMContentLoaded’,function(){frmFrontForm.scrollToID(‘frm_container_ref_190299’);});Edit

References

  1. Huffman MD, Prabhakaran D, Osmond C, Fall CH, Tandon N, Lakshmy R, et al. Incidence of cardiovascular risk factors in an Indian urban cohort: Results from the New Delhi birth cohort. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2011;57(17):1765–74.
  2. Saleh M, Ambrose JA. Understanding myocardial infarction. F1000Res. 2018;7:F1000 Faculty Rev-1378.
  3. Ghodeshwar GK, Dube A, Khobragade D. Impact of lifestyle modifications on cardiovascular health: A narrative review. Cureus. 2023;15(7):e42616.
  4. Wurie HR, Cappuccio FP. Cardiovascular disease in low- and middle-income countries: An urgent priority. Ethn Health. 2012;17:543–50.
  5. Gaziano TA, Bitton A, Anand S, Abrahams-Gessel S, Murphy A. Growing epidemic of coronary heart disease in low- and middle-income countries. Curr Probl Cardiol. 2010;35(2):72–115.
  6. Rodgers JL, Jones J, Bolleddu SI, Vanthenapalli S, Rodgers LE, Shah K, et al. Cardiovascular risks associated with gender and aging. J Cardiovasc Dev Dis. 2019;6(2):19.
  7. Garcia M, Mulvagh SL, Merz CN, Buring JE, Manson JE. Cardiovascular disease in women: Clinical perspectives. Circ Res. 2016;118:1273–93.
  8. Lu Y, Hajifathalian K, Ezzati M, Woodward M, Rimm EB, Danaei G, et al. Metabolic mediators of the effects of body-mass index, overweight, and obesity on coronary heart disease and stroke: A pooled analysis of 97 prospective cohorts with 1.8 million participants. Lancet. 2014;383:970–83.
  9. Andersson C, Vasan RS. Epidemiology of cardiovascular disease in young individuals. Nat Rev Cardiol. 2018;15(4):230–40.
  10. DiNicolantonio JJ, Lucan SC, O’Keefe JH. The evidence for saturated fat and for sugar related to coronary heart disease. Prog Cardiovasc Dis. 2016;58(5):464–72.
  11. Lavie CJ, Ozemek C, Carbone S, Katzmarzyk PT, Blair SN. Sedentary behavior, exercise, and cardiovascular health. Circ Res. 2019;124(5):799–815.
  12. Mukamal KJ. The effects of smoking and drinking on cardiovascular disease and risk factors. Alcohol Res Health. 2006;29(3):199–202.
  13. Alloubani A, Nimer R, Samara R. Relationship between hyperlipidemia, cardiovascular disease and stroke: A systematic review. Curr Cardiol Rev. 2021;17(6):e051121189015.
  14. Leon BM, Maddox TM. Diabetes and cardiovascular disease: Epidemiology, biological mechanisms, treatment recommendations, and future research. World J Diabetes. 2015;6(13):1246–58.
  15. Kolber MR, Scrimshaw C. Family history of cardiovascular disease. Can Fam Physician. 2014;60(11):1016.
  16. Levine GN. Psychological stress and heart disease: Fact or folklore? Am J Med. 2022;135(6):688–96.
  17. Shahu A, Herrin J, Dhruva SS, Desai NR, Davis BR, Krumholz HM, et al. Disparities in socioeconomic context and association with blood pressure control and cardiovascular outcomes in ALLHAT. J Am Heart Assoc. 2019;8(15):e012277.
  18. Dwivedi AK, Vishwakarma D, Dubey P, Reddy SY. Air pollution and the heart: Updated evidence from meta-analysis studies. Curr Cardiol Rep. 2022;24(12):1811–35.
  19. Kivimäki M, Kawachi I. Work stress as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Curr Cardiol Rep. 2015;17(9):630.
  20. Danesh J, Collins R, Peto R. Chronic infections and coronary heart disease: Is there a link? Lancet. 1997;350(9075):430–6.
  21. Alfaddagh A, Martin SS, Leucker TM, Michos ED, Blaha MJ, Lowenstein CJ, et al. Inflammation and cardiovascular disease: From mechanisms to therapeutics. Am J Prev Cardiol. 2020;4:100130.
  22. Bose RJC, McCarthy JR. Direct SARS-CoV-2 infection of the heart potentiates the cardiovascular sequelae of COVID-19. Drug Discov Today. 2020;25(9):1559–60.
  23. Stark K, Massberg S. Interplay between inflammation and thrombosis in cardiovascular pathology. Nat Rev Cardiol. 2021;18(9):666–82.
  24. Raman B, Bluemke DA, Lüscher TF, Neubauer S. Long COVID: Post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 with a cardiovascular focus. Eur Heart J. 2022;43(11):1157–72.
  25. den Uil CA, Ligthart JMR, Mandigers L, den Dekker WK. Cocaine/amphetamine-induced accelerated atherosclerosis, coronary spasm and thrombosis, and refractory ventricular fibrillation. Eur Heart J Case Rep. 2019;3(4):1–2.
  26. Pacher P, Steffens S, Haskó G, Schindler TH, Kunos G. Cardiovascular effects of marijuana and synthetic cannabinoids: The good, the bad, and the ugly. Nat Rev Cardiol. 2018;15(3):151–66.
  27. Mangi MA, Rehman H, Rafique M, Illovsky M. Energy drinks and the risk of cardiovascular disease: A review of current literature. Cureus. 2017;9(6):e1322.
  28. Schulte KJ, Mayrovitz HN. Myocardial infarction signs and symptoms: Females vs. males. Cureus. 2023;15(4):e37522.
  29. Crea F, Battipaglia I, Andreotti F. Sex differences in mechanisms, presentation, and management of ischaemic heart disease. Atherosclerosis. 2015;241:157–68.
  30. Aggarwal NR, Patel HN, Mehta LS, et al. Sex differences in ischemic heart disease: Advances, obstacles, and next steps. Circ Cardiovasc Qual Outcomes. 2018;11:e004437.
  31. Pinheiro AO, Pereira VL Jr, Baltatu OC, Campos LA. Cardiac autonomic dysfunction in elderly women with myocardial infarction. Curr Med Res Opin. 2015;31:1849–54.
  32. Wu J, Feng Y, Zhao Y, Guo Z, Liu R, Zeng X, et al. Lifestyle behaviors and risk of cardiovascular disease and prognosis among individuals with cardiovascular disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis of 71 prospective cohort studies. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2024;21(1):42.
  33. Betai D, Ahmed AS, Saxena P, Rashid H, Patel H, Shahzadi A, et al. Gender disparities in cardiovascular disease and their management: A review. Cureus. 2024;16(5):e59663.
  34. Abbas R, Abbas A, Khan TK, Sharjeel S, Amanullah K, Irshad Y. Sudden cardiac death in young individuals: A current review of evaluation, screening, and prevention. J Clin Med Res. 2023;15(1):1–9.
  35. Kris-Etherton PM, Petersen KS, Després JP, Anderson CAM, Deedwania P, Furie KL, et al. Strategies for promotion of a healthy lifestyle in clinical settings: Pillars of ideal cardiovascular health: A science advisory from the American Heart Association. Circulation. 2021;144(24):e495–514.
  36. Prochaska JJ, Benowitz NL. Smoking cessation and the cardiovascular patient. Curr Opin Cardiol. 2015;30(5):506–11.
  37. Wallace ML, Ricco JA, Barrett B. Screening strategies for cardiovascular disease in asymptomatic adults. Prim Care. 2014;41(2):371–97.
  38. Sachdeva P, Kaur K, Fatima S, Mahak F, Noman M, Siddenthi SM, et al. Advancements in myocardial infarction management: Exploring novel approaches and strategies. Cureus. 2023;15(9):e45578.
  39. Fang J, Luncheon C, Ayala C, Odom E, Loustalot F. Awareness of heart attack symptoms and response among adults – United States, 2008, 2014, and 2017. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. 2019;68(5):101–6.
  40. Ladeiras-Lopes R, Baciu L, Grapsa J, Sohaib A, Vidal-Perez R, Bohm A, et al. Social media in cardiovascular medicine: A contemporary review. Eur Heart J Digit Health. 2020;1(1):10–9.
  41. Reeve B, Gostin LO. “Big” food, tobacco, and alcohol: Reducing industry influence on noncommunicable disease prevention laws and policies. Int J Health Policy Manag. 2019;8(7):450–4.
  42. Lai KY, Webster C, Gallacher JE, Sarkar C. Associations of urban built environment with cardiovascular risks and mortality: A systematic review. J Urban Health. 2023;100(4):745–87.
  43. Chiriboga DE, Ockene JK, Ockene IS. Barriers to preventive interventions for coronary heart disease. Cardiol Clin. 2003;21(3):459–70.
  44. Rich MW, Chyun DA, Skolnick AH, Alexander KP, Forman DE, Kitzman DW, et al. Knowledge gaps in cardiovascular care of the older adult population. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2016;67(20):2419–40.
  45. Regitz-Zagrosek V. Unsettled issues and future directions for research on cardiovascular diseases in women. Korean Circ J. 2018;48(9):792–812.
Regular Issue Subscription Review Article
Volume 14
Issue 02
Received 19/02/2025
Accepted 31/03/2025
Published 24/05/2025
Publication Time 94 Days
Total Visits: 8

[last_name]

My IP

PlumX Metrics