Artery ageing in your 30s? Doctors reveal early warning signs and lifestyle changes that can protect your heart

Arteries are not rigid pipes. They are living tissues designed to stretch and relax as blood moves from the heart to the rest of the body.

When arteries are healthy, they expand easily with each heartbeat. This flexibility helps regulate blood pressure and ensures organs receive a steady blood supply.

But when arteries begin to stiffen, the heart must pump harder to push blood through them. Over time, this can increase the risk of heart disease, stroke, and other cardiovascular problems.

According to Dr Mukesh Goel, Senior Consultant in Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery at Indraprastha Apollo Hospitals, this shift is becoming noticeable at much younger ages.

“Over the past ten years, there has been an increase in the manifestation of arterial ageing at much younger ages than expected, at times even among people in their 30s. The arteries should be capable of withstanding flexibility and elasticity to ensure the smooth flow of blood from the heart to the rest of the body. However, owing to the lifestyle of the current generation, it has been observed that there is an increase in the manifestation of arterial stiffness, plaque formation, and endothelial dysfunction at an early age, which was previously seen only among people in their 50s or 60s.”