"One day last year, my husband complained of severe pain in his left arm, and we rushed him to the hospital. He was diagnosed with coronary artery disease and an angioplasty was performed. The doctors said his occasional smoking and drinking, work stress and a high-calorie diet were the culprits. It was a scary experience and a big wake-up call. He has quit smoking and has stopped drinking completely," says Sunita.
Aravind K, 32, also went to the doctor after he felt pain in his left arm and neck. He was surprised when he was told that it was a mild heart attack. He was operated on, and in this case as well, doctors blamed his attack on his stressful job, high-calorie intake and a sedentary lifestyle. "I've always been fairly healthy and rarely found the need to visit the doctor. I didn't think my eating habits were all that bad; my father is 65 years old and has never suffered from a serious ailment," says Aravind.
Sunita's husband and Aravind are among a growing number of young people who have suffered life-threatening diseases. Heart attacks were once only associated with people in their late 50s and 60s. Recently, more people in their 20s, 30s and 40s have been getting heart ailments. Actor Frankie Muniz, 27, recently suffered his second minor heart attack in one year. The actor and musician claims to have never smoked a cigarette in his life or done drugs, but admitted he "eats like a 10-year-old". Working non-stop was another trigger. Former cricketer Vinod Kambli, 41, suffered a heart attack last week when he was driving. He complained of chest pain and was taken to the hospital by a woman traffic officer. This was his second time as well, as he had undergone an angioplasty on two of his blocked arteries last year.
