Is it possible to have a heart attack at 18?

Heart attacks are usually thought to affect people over the age of 50. However, in reality, they can occur at any age. In fact, about 8 in every 100 heart attacks occur in those under 55, and 1 in 4 heart attacks in women affects an under-60.

What are the chances of an 18 year old getting a heart attack?

Although the risk of heart attack (myocardial infarction, or MI) in young people is relatively low, between 4\% and 10\% of heart attacks occur in those under 45.

Should I be worried about a heart attack at 18?

Elevated blood pressure as young as age 18 is a warning sign of cardiovascular disease developing later in life and the time to begin prevention. That’s decades earlier than clinicians and patients generally start thinking about heart disease risk.

Is it rare for a teenager to have a heart attack?

Heart attacks in teens are “obviously rare but not an impossible diagnosis,” Lane told Reuters Health. When an adolescent develops severe chest pain typical of a heart attack, it should not be dismissed lightly.

Can an 18 year old have angina?

Teenagers, even kids, can have coronary artery disease (CAD). But angina and heart attacks this young are rare. Still, some conditions can lead to hardening of the arteries in children and adolescents.

Can you have a heart attack at 21?

Heart Attacks Can Happen at Any Age, She Was 21. Molly Schroeder survived a heart attack when she was only 21 years old. Now she’s on a mission to help young women understand heart health isn’t something that can wait until they’re older.

What can cause a heart attack at 18?

Key risk factors of having a heart attack at a young age include:

• Substance abuse or excessive alcohol use.
• Smoking.
• High blood pressure.
• High cholesterol levels.
• Lack of physical activity.
• Diabetes.
• Poor diet.

Can heart attack occur at 17?

So, yes, kids and teens can get heart disease and have heart attacks, although it’s very rare and often a result of congenital heart defects. Still, young people in otherwise good health can start on the road to poor heart health without proper guidance.