Heart Disease Can Strike in Your 30s and 40s

“We see many people in their late 30s and 40s with heart disease,” said Jonathan Bier, MD, Director of Southcoast’s Interventional Cardiology Services. “Fortunately there’s a lot that can be done to catch and treat heart disease — no matter what age it strikes.

Do You Know Your Risks?
“Younger people get heart disease for the same reasons that older people do,” Dr. Bier said. The disease is more common in both men and women who:

• Have a father or brother who had a heart attack before age 55 or a mother or sister who had a heart attack before age 65.
• Smoke.
• Have high blood pressure, diabetes or high cholesterol levels.
• Are overweight.

“Men are more likely to have heart disease at a young age than women. But women can get heart disease in their 30s and 40s, too,” Dr. Bier said.

Advanced Treatments in Your Backyard
“If you have some risk factors for heart disease, then you should get a doctor’s opinion,” Dr. Bier said. “There are various tests that can be done to see whether you have heart disease or are at high risk.”

Southcoast’s Interventional Cardiology Services offers a complete range of heart tests from simple blood screenings to high-tech ultrasounds and X-rays. If heart disease is detected, Southcoast heart specialists use the latest techniques to unclog arteries, including cardiac catheterization and coronary angioplasty.

“I’d say without hesitation that we have one of the finest heart programs in Massachusetts,” Dr. Bier said. “The facility is brand new and the doctors are the same doctors who perform heart procedures at major hospitals in Boston. Plus, we are close to home. Patients don’t have to drive into Boston. They can receive advanced heart care right in their community.”

The take-home lesson: Your heart is only as young as your risk factors. So, see a doctor if you think you may be at risk for heart disease.

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