Cardiologists at several hospitals across Dubai, Al Ain and Sharjah are raising the alarm over a rising number of coronary artery disease cases among younger, seemingly fit patients in their 30s and 40s, warning that regular gym attendance offers no guarantee against serious, symptom-free heart disease.
Dr Yogeeswari Vellore Satyanarayanan, a cardiology specialist at Medcare Royal Speciality Hospital, said looking fit is not the same as being free of cardiovascular risk, noting that high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol can stay silent for years before causing damage. Dr Hesham Tayel, a consultant cardiologist at International Modern Hospital, said he is seeing a growing number of patients in their 30s and 40s with significant coronary artery disease, many of whom are stunned to learn they have severe blockages despite training regularly at the gym.
Dr Austin Mohan Komaranchath, head of interventional cardiology at NMC Specialty Hospital in Al Ain, said he treated 30 to 40 young patients over the past year whose calcium scores came back abnormal despite otherwise reassuring test results, adding that many younger adults are still not being screened routinely for heart disease. Dr Mohammed Albialy Sulieman, a consultant interventional cardiologist at Medcare Hospital Sharjah, described successfully treating a young patient who suffered cardiac arrest, reviving him through CPR before clearing a major blockage.
The doctors pointed to family history, smoking and vaping, diabetes, high blood pressure, chronic stress, poor sleep and inherited cholesterol disorders as the leading risk factors behind these cases, and urged even young, apparently healthy adults to undergo regular heart screening rather than relying on fitness levels alone as a sign of good cardiovascular health.