Heart disease now hitting younger Thais

Patients can spend years on meds

- APINYA WIPATAYOTIN

Younger people are suffering from cardiovascular disease, said a cardiologist, an alarming trend when noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) have a strong impact on the working age group's health and wealth.

Dr Suvanich Triamchanchoochai, Vimut Hospital's director and cardiologist, who has spent over 30 years treating people suffering from heart-related diseases, said people of working age who are diagnosed with heart disease can spend years on medications. They experience a loss of opportunity due to their condition, which limits their daily life.

Dr Suvanich said one-third of his patients diagnosed with heart-related diseases are 30 years and older, an emerging trend given that heart disease was previously mainly detected among the elderly. He said that early disease development onset is caused by changing lifestyles, especially consumption behaviours that do not promote good health.

Having an annual medical checkup would help patients and doctors detect the disease earlier, he said.