Srinagar – A growing number of heart attack cases among Kashmir’s youth has raised alarms, with leading cardiologists attributing much of the rise to smoking and tobacco consumption.
The concerning trend of heart attacks in young smokers has been highlighted by prominent cardiologists in Kashmir, who warn about the dangerous link between smoking and heart disease. They are urging young people to take immediate action to quit smoking to safeguard their health.
Dr. Hilal Rather, Head of the Department of Cardiology at Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), underscored that both active and passive smokers are at risk of developing heart conditions. “Even minimal smoking is harmful. Whether a person is an active smoker or a passive one, the health risks remain the same,” he emphasized.
While Dr. Rather acknowledged that light smoking might present a relatively lower risk of heart attacks, he stressed that the associated health dangers should not be underestimated. He also highlighted the environmental factors in Kashmir, particularly during the winter months, when smoke tends to linger in the air, further escalating the risk of lung infections. This, he noted, poses additional health hazards for both smokers and nonsmokers alike.
Dr. Rather shared that, in his clinical experience, heart attack patients who smoke tend to suffer from more severe health outcomes. “While not all smokers experience heart attacks, we have observed a higher incidence of cardiovascular events in young smokers,” he said.
Research also supports these observations. A study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association revealed that more than 50% of adults aged 40 to 59 who smoked developed cardiovascular disease and were nearly twice as likely to die from a fatal heart attack, stroke, or heart failure. Young men and women who smoked were found to be more than twice as likely to experience a fatal cardiovascular event as their first sign of disease compared to nonsmokers.
Another study, A Systematic Review of the Effects of Smoking on the Cardiovascular System and General Health, found that smoking damages nearly every organ in the body and increases the risk of various health conditions. The review highlighted that smoking lowers overall health, reduces quality of life, and increases the risk of hospitalization, making it more difficult for individuals to recover from conditions like heart disease and stroke.
Echoing Dr. Rather’s concerns, Dr. Khalid Mohiuddin, Head of the Department of Cardiology at the Super Specialty Hospital, Government Medical College Srinagar, confirmed the link between smoking and heart disease. “Our research indicates that many young people who experience heart attacks in Kashmir are smokers or tobacco users,” he shared.
Dr. Mohiuddin observed a worrying shift in the demographic of heart attack patients, noting, “Decades ago, heart attacks were mostly seen in older individuals, but now we are seeing a significant increase in cases among young people. Smoking is the leading cause of this trend.”
Both doctors stressed that while quitting smoking is possible at any age, it is crucial to seek professional support from psychologists or psychiatrists to create a structured and sustainable cessation plan. “A well-defined roadmap can make quitting more manageable and effective,” they advised.
In conclusion, experts are calling for immediate action to raise awareness about the life-threatening risks associated with smoking, urging the youth of Kashmir to take proactive steps towards quitting for a healthier future.
