Heart Attacks In Their 30S: A Generation At Risk In Kashmir

(MENAFN- Kashmir Observer)
Representational Photo

By Mohammad Adnaan

The discomfort started as a dull pressure under his ribs.

Shakeel Ahmad, a 38-year-old schoolteacher from Baramulla, thought it was just indigestion. He kept teaching. The pain got worse.

By the time his family reached the hospital in Srinagar, doctors said they were already two hours late.

“He kept saying it wasn't his heart,” said Shakeel's widow.“But in the end, his heart was what failed him, and us.”

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Heart disease is fast emerging as one of the deadliest public health threats in Kashmir. Despite its growing toll, the silent killer remains largely overlooked in a region already burdened by unpredictable weather and prolonged uncertainty.

Doctors in Srinagar and public health officials across the Valley say they're seeing a troubling rise in cardiovascular disease, especially among people in their 30s and 40s.

A study published in the Indian Heart Journal found that 7.5 percent of Kashmiris over the age of 40 already suffer from coronary artery disease. The burden is even greater in urban areas.

Recent hospital records show that 1 in 5 heart attack patients in Kashmir is under 45. In 2025 alone, dozens of deaths among young patients, some in their early 30s, have been linked to undiagnosed diabetes, obesity, and heart conditions. In winter, the risk doubles. Hospitals report nearly 30 cardiac emergencies a day, compared to 15–18 in summer.

Roughly 30 percent of all deaths in the region are now caused by heart-related illness, and a quarter of those occur in people under the age of 70. Public health experts call it a“generational crisis in slow motion.”

“This is not just a problem of the old anymore,” said a senior cardiologist at SKIMS, the region's top referral hospital.“Every week, we see new cases of heart attacks in patients under 40. Some don't even make it to the hospital.”

So why is this happening?

A combination of lifestyle changes, chronic stress, substance abuse, and gaps in the healthcare system is fuelling the surge.

Kashmir has one of the highest tobacco use rates in India. Around 38 to 56 percent of adults in the Valley smoke or use tobacco products. In rural heart patients, smoking rates touch 76 percent. Hookah, locally known as jajeer, is deeply woven into social life.

But addiction doesn't stop at tobacco. In 2022, an official study found that nearly 8 percent of youth in Kashmir were addicted to opioids or other hard drugs. Doctors warn this is placing a direct strain on young hearts and blood vessels.

But the triggers aren't only physical.

A 2015 survey by Médecins Sans Frontières found that nearly 45 percent of adults in Kashmir showed symptoms of psychological distress. Doctors now believe that prolonged exposure to stress-curbs, violence, unemployment-is accelerating cardiac wear and tear in young men.

“When you're in a state of stress for years, the body never gets to rest,” continued the cardiologist quoted above.“Cortisol stays high. Blood pressure rises. The heart suffers.”

Then there is the diet.

Kashmiri cuisine, rich in oil, salt, and red meat, has evolved in unhealthy ways. Traditional staples like greens and lentils are giving way to fast food and packaged snacks.

A 2024 study found alarming rates of obesity, poor diets, and low awareness of heart-health markers like cholesterol or blood pressure among Kashmiri youth.

“There's very little education around prevention,” said Dr. Sajad Bhat, a physician in Kupwara.“People come in only after the damage is done.”

Kashmir's cold months pose their own threat. With temperatures below freezing, people stay indoors, activity declines, and blood vessels constrict. Doctors say hypoxia, lower oxygen levels at high altitude, makes things worse for those with existing conditions.

But perhaps the biggest challenge is healthcare access.

In Srinagar, tertiary hospitals like SKIMS and SMHS can manage cardiac emergencies. But in Kupwara, Pulwama, and Shopian, most public hospitals lack specialists, cath labs, or defibrillators. If a heart attack strikes at night, patients may have to travel four hours for emergency care.

Cost is another barrier. An angioplasty in a private hospital can cost over ₹1.2 lakh, far beyond what most families can afford. Public hospitals are overcrowded, with long waitlists for surgery and limited post-operative care.

Perhaps the most worrying sign, experts say, is how little we know. No region-wide data tracks how many people monitor their blood pressure or cholesterol each year. Without that baseline, planning prevention becomes guesswork.

Asifa, a 31-year-old mother from Anantnag, was diagnosed with hypertension during pregnancy but didn't return for follow-ups. One evening, she collapsed while feeding her child. Doctors said she had suffered acute heart failure.

“No one told me it could come back like this,” she said.“I thought I was fine after the delivery.”

Despite the bleak outlook, cardiologists insist the crisis is still reversible, if action is taken now.

They are calling for mandatory screening programs in schools and colleges, mass awareness drives in rural districts, and focused efforts to reduce tobacco use and promote traditional diets with less oil and salt.

“Parents need to understand the risks. Young people need to get their blood pressure checked. It's not expensive,” said Dr. Bhat.“We can't wait for the next funeral to raise alarm.”

Mental health also needs attention. Services are scarce, and stigma keeps people silent. Until that changes, the body will keep paying for what the mind absorbs.

“It's not just a medical issue,” said Dr. Hilal Sofi, a Srinagar-based cardiologist.“It's a social issue. It's about poverty, education, trauma, and infrastructure. We have to treat all of it.”

Back in Baramulla, Shakeel's wife still finds herself waiting for the school bell that used to bring him home.

“He was too young to die,” she said.

In Kashmir, more people are thinking the same. Until, suddenly, they can't.

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