Cardiovascular diseases rise among young Brazilians

Cardiovascular diseases are increasingly affecting younger populations in Brazil. Data from the Ministry of Health indicates that hospitalizations for heart attacks in patients under 40 years old rose by 180% between 2000 and 2024.

According to the Brazilian Society of Cardiology, more than 200,000 people died from cardiovascular diseases in Brazil during the first half of 2026. Additionally, the Federal Council of Pharmacy reported 64,471 deaths from strokes in the previous year, averaging one death every six minutes.

Medical experts, including Carlos Rassi of Hospital Sírio-Libanês, attribute this trend to deteriorating lifestyle habits. Key risk factors identified include obesity, sedentary behavior, diets high in ultra-processed foods, poor sleep quality, chronic stress, smoking, electronic cigarettes, and the use of drugs or anabolic steroids. Chronic stress specifically is noted to increase the risk of cardiovascular events by 20% to 30% due to elevated cortisol and adrenaline levels.