'Cardiac arrest cases rising in those under 45'

Doctors urge regular health screening; caution against excessive use of fitness and anti-ageing products

- Nandini Sircar

Doctors in the UAE are urging younger residents to take regular health screening seriously, after news of 42-year-old Bollywood actress and model Shefali Jariwala’s recent demise has been making headlines.

Jariwala reportedly suffered a cardiac arrest at her Mumbai residence late on Friday.

Her sudden death has reignited the conversation around rising cases of cardiac arrests in younger individuals, an issue that experts in the UAE say is becoming a pressing health crisis.

"Premature heart attacks and cardiac arrests occur about 10 to 15 years earlier in the UAE compared to Western nations," said Dr Hesham Tayel, consultant cardiologist and specialist interventional cardiologist at International Modern Hospital Dubai.

Tayel added, "Traditionally, cardiac arrest and heart disease were seen as issues pertaining to the elderly. However, there’s a growing trend of heart-related emergencies in people under 45 — including sudden cardiac arrest, heart attacks and arrhythmias.