Fortis Additional Director raises alarm on rising heart attacks in Kashmir

Srinagar, Sep 29: Fortis Hospital, Shalimar Bagh, has raised alarm over the rising incidence of heart attacks among young adults in Kashmir, linking the trend to high smoking rates and chronic stress.

In a statement issued here, Dr Sudhanshu Parida, Additional Director – Interventional Cardiology at Fortis, said heart attacks, once largely confined to older people, are now striking patients in their 20s and 30s. “One in five heart attack patients is now younger than 40. In Kashmir, smoking and persistent stress are key drivers of this worrying pattern,” he noted.

Doctors point out that smoking, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, poor diet and lack of exercise are accelerating the onset of heart disease. Early warning signs may include chest pain or pressure, breathlessness, sweating, dizziness or unexplained fatigue. Timely recognition and immediate medical care, they stress, can save lives.

While advanced procedures like angioplasty and drug-eluting stents provide effective emergency treatment, Dr Parida underlined that prevention remains the biggest priority. “Quitting smoking, managing stress, staying active, eating healthy and undergoing regular check-ups—especially for those with family history—are the best safeguards,” he said.