So much for the “me” generation. A study by the American Heart Association reveals that Generation Y patients, specifically those 18-22, who have diagnosed heart defects, are not seeking medical care or checking in with a cardiologist.
The AHA found that more than a fifth of us with “severe congenital heart disease don’t see a cardiologist,” citing a Canadian study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
A congenital heart defect can exist for your entire life and kill you without warning.
The risk of having a heart defect is 3-times more likely in families with a genetic history — parents pass it on to children.
The AHA specifically points out that while most Americans know about acquired heart disease — the kind you get from lifestyle, diet, etc. — most don’t know about congenital heart disease. That’s the kind you’re born with and can kill you even if you have the healthiest diet and exercise plan there is.
For more on this topic, check out the website of the American Heart Association.