Cardiologist warns about alarming heart condition, urban heart syndrome: Why is it a silent threat to you?

There is a new alarming heart condition emerging in cities, where an unhealthy lifestyle plays a major role in triggering urban heart syndrome.

Urban life brings with it multifaceted stress that steadily, over time, wears down health. While it promises a myriad of possibilities, opportunities, and a buzzing energy, it also freezes people in a hyperactive mode, constantly oscillating between extremes. From going full throttle during the workweek to spending weekends lounging, doomscrolling, and ordering junk food, this unhealthy lifestyle pattern eventually catches up in the form of heart conditions, with one of them being urban heart syndrome.

Abhijit Borse, consultant cardiologist, K J Somaiya Hospital and Research Centre, in an interview with HT Lifestyle, shared how people living in cities are at an increasing risk of urban heart syndrome because of their lifestyle. This can affect people well in their 30s and 40s as well.

Talking about the breakneck pace of cities and the worsening air quality, this heart condition, one cardiovascular threat, is being flagged at large. Dr Borse said, “Pollution and deadlines aren't the only things catching up with India's cities. Doctors are now sounding an alert about an insidious but increasing health issue, urban heart syndrome, that could already be impacting millions of residents in metro cities, particularly those in their 30s and 40s.”

Dr Borse added, “Though not yet a formal medical diagnosis, the doctors are using the term to denote an emerging trend of silent and early cardiovascular distress among city residents, without the traditional warning symptoms we tend to link with heart conditions.”

What is urban heart syndrome?

City dwellers are often exposed to stress daily, whether it's physical, from a sedentary lifestyle and poor air quality, or mental, due to the constant hustle culture, all of which contribute to the worrying trend of Urban Heart Syndrome. Although, as Dr Borse puts it, ‘it is a clinical observation’ and not yet a textbook diagnosis, but still the pattern is too serious to overlook.

The cardiologist explained, "Urban heart syndrome is ‘a developing clinical observation’ describing a cluster of lifestyle-related risk factors such as chronic stress, sleep hygiene, excessive sedentary hours, low-quality diets, and exposure to toxins “that cause individuals to develop early cardiovascular dysfunction.”

Urban heart syndrome further increases the risk of premature heart diseases, as Dr Borse further added, "It’s not yet classified as a formal diagnosis, but we’re increasingly seeing this cluster of symptoms and changes that lead to premature heart disease, particularly among young working professionals in cities,” he explains.

What are the initial signs?

Shortness of breath during light exercise is one of the signs.

The cardiologist underscored the importance of regular check-ups, emphasising that heart-related ailments don’t always show up with ‘dramatic’ symptoms. Often, the warning signs can also be subtle, making it easy to miss.

“Early-stage cardiac distress, however, manifests in much more subtle ways, particularly in urban settings. Unexplained fatigue, disrupted sleep, shortness of breath during light exercise, palpitations, and chest pain are the typical early signs. These are dismissed as stress, acidity, or tiredness, particularly if it happens to young adults. That delay in diagnosis can prove risky. Regular check-ups can even reveal higher resting heart rate, blood pressure, or cholesterol and sugar abnormalities, all silent warning signs that should not be overlooked,” Dr Borse elaborated.

What are the reasons behind the rise of urban heart syndrome?

All-nighters, high-coffee intake are some of teh major contributing factors.

Pulling all-nighters, whether to study or to delay sleep just to have more time to yourself, may make you feel productive, but this comes at the expense of your heart health. Coffee or energy drinks are the go-to pair for all-nighters, and often, this combination becomes a recipe for serious heart conditions over time.

Dr Borse highlighted how this disrupts the circadian rhythm and said, "Extended screen time and nighttime work cycles interfere with circadian rhythms, increase cortisol, and enhance systemic inflammation. Combine that with the excessive caffeine consumption, particularly through coffee or energy drinks, and you have a formula for a rising heart rate, high blood pressure, and even autonomic imbalance. In the long term, this can lead to vascular stress, rhythm disturbances, and in severe cases, silent myocardial infarction."

Women at higher risk ?

Women, however, may be at greater risk, as they commonly don’t show the classic symptoms. And on top of that, a combination of factors, from shouldering household responsibilities to undergoing hormonal shifts, can make them more likely to get this condition.

He said, “Urban women, even though equally (if not more) at risk, tend not to bring textbook cardiac symptoms. Rather than chest pain, they'll complain of indigestion, jaw pain or back pain, fatigue, or shortness of breath. Hormonal changes, along with the double stress of career and home duties, could further increase their cardiac susceptibility, which means early screening and education are important.”

7 tips to help reduce risks

Changing your damaging habits, whether it is sitting all day or compromising sleep for binge watching, certain daily changes can help protect your heart. Dr Borse shared these tips:

1. 30 minutes of exercise every day

2. Regular sleep habits (7–8 hours)

3. Reducing processed food, salt, caffeine

4. Hydration

5. Mindfulness, yoga, or meditation

6. Regular follow-ups, particularly if there's a hereditary factor

Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.