Why fit people get arteries blocked : A 38-year-old young man, very strong and strong, suddenly felt troubled by a heavy pressure on his chest. It seemed as if someone sat on the chest. Gradually this pressure increased and he started worrying. Then he went to the doctor. When the doctor did the angiography, he was also stunned. Both the main arteries of this young man’s heart were blocked. One artery was 100 percent blocked, the other was 90 percent blocked. This had never happened to this person before. The surprising thing is that this person is a fitness freak. Goes to the gym and walks every day. Also, there are no bad habits. Why did this happen? Can such a fit person also have such a fatal heart problem?

Never got tested because I was fit
Actually, cardiologist in Indian Express Dr. Ranjan Shetty Has written about this young man. He has told that the person is an athlete, runs regularly and is also a weight lifter. But his left anterior descending artery LAD and right coronary artery RCA were closed. It is very important for the LAD to be healthy for heart function because it supplies oxygenated blood and it was 100 percent closed. What happened after that. Dr. Ranjan Shetty told that we immediately opened this blocked artery by placing a stent in it. When we asked the young man, he told that no doctor had ever asked him for a heart health checkup. Because he is very fit and sporty. The young man also told that till date he had never complained of chest pain or burning sensation. Nor has he ever smoked cigarettes. He also does not have diabetes. I rarely eat outside food. The person had got the sugar test done only once in the name of test which came negative. Then what was the reason that suddenly his arteries got blocked?

Then why are the arteries blocked?
Dr. Ranjan Shetty told that despite everything being fit, the arteries got blocked, the main reason for this was genetic history. That is, there is already a history of heart related complications in the patient’s family, due to which this gene keeps getting passed on from generation to generation. Close relatives means parents, grandparents, maternal grandparents. If any gene in these people is defective and it increases high cholesterol, if this gene is passed on to their child, then with time it becomes active and increases high cholesterol, due to which blockage occurs in the arteries.

What does a family history of cholesterol mean?
When someone has high cholesterol due to a familial faulty gene, it is called familial hypercholesterolemia. This is a hereditary i.e. genetic disease. In this, the person’s liver is not able to remove bad cholesterol LDL from the blood properly. Actually, such people do not have receptors in the liver to clear bad cholesterol. Therefore, when bad cholesterol is produced in the liver, it floats in the blood and when it becomes excessive, its plaque sticks to the walls of the arteries. Then it gradually sticks so much that it starts blocking the arteries and eventually it gets completely blocked and causes heart attack or cardiac arrest. People who have genetic disease usually have high cholesterol since childhood. The plaque formed in their body is also weak and unstable, which can burst easily. For this reason, they have a higher risk of heart attack at a young age. Many times even a slight blockage suddenly turns into 100 percent blockage after the plaque bursts.

Who are at genetic risk?
If any close family member like parents, grandparents, maternal grandparents or siblings under the age of 55 has high cholesterol or heart related complications, then their family members are also at such risk. Beyond this, there is a risk of heart attack.

then what should be done
Dr. Ranjan Shetty told that whether one has a family history or not, one must undergo lipid profile test once a year after the age of 20 years. It is pretty cheap too. Along with this, if there is any tightness in the chest, there is too much pressure, there is pain near the chest and it lasts for a long time, then in these situations consult a doctor immediately. Panting after doing some hard work, difficulty in breathing, shortness of breath while climbing stairs, pain in shoulder and waist can also be its symptoms, hence in such circumstances a doctor should be contacted immediately.