Easy-to-ignore symptoms of heart problems affecting more and more young men – as Wanted star Max George health scare reveals

Wanted star Max George has sparked concern after revealing he is in hospital with heart problems and may need surgery over the holidays.

Fans will no doubt be shocked that the 36-year-old is being affected by issues traditionally associated with older people living much less healthy lifestyles.

But the ultra-fit athletic singer is far from the only young and apparently healthy man with heart problems – which are more often than not life-threatening.

In fact, the number of younger people with fatal heart problems, including heart attack, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases, is increasing.

And in some cases, the patients don’t look like a typical heart disease sufferer.

Heart attacks in people aged 25 to 29 have almost doubled in the past decade, while the number of patients under 40 has risen by a quarter, NHS data from last year shows.

The number of heart attacks among people in their mid-20s in England is the highest in a decade.

Official figures show that men are twice as likely to be admitted to hospital for a heart attack compared to women.

The Wanted star Max George has sparked concern after revealing he is in hospital with heart problems

The star revealed he may have to undergo surgery over the festive period, which he said was a ‘huge shock’

Meanwhile, strokes are also increasing among young men.

A recent MailOnline analysis of NHS data shows that the number of strokes among men under 39 has increased by almost a quarter over the past two decades.

Experts say part of the increase is due to increasing unhealthy lifestyle choices that lead to obesity and high cholesterol, which increases the risk of cardiovascular disease.

However, there are some heart problems that can develop – or start at birth – regardless of the food you eat and the amount of exercise you do.

One of the most common is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which affects 1 in 500 people in Britain and is the leading cause of sudden cardiac death in young athletes.

It causes the heart muscle and the walls of the heart chambers to become stretched, thickened or stiff. This affects the organ’s ability to pump blood around the body, the NHS explains.

Chest pain, shortness of breath, fatigue and fainting are all warning signs of heart disease.

In most cases, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is hereditary, but an unhealthy lifestyle, a viral infection, or an underlying medical condition can also be triggers.

One of the most common is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which affects 1 in 500 people in Britain and is the leading cause of sudden cardiac death in young athletes.

Another condition that mainly affects young people is Long QT syndrome, which begins on average at the age of 14. Those who die from the disease are usually around the age of 32.

It is relatively rare, affecting up to 1 in 2,000 people in Britain. It causes the heart to stop pumping blood properly to the brain, meaning it temporarily runs out of oxygen.

Warning signs include fainting, seizures and palpitations, but it can also cause blackouts.

In most cases, the heart rhythm returns to normal after a few minutes and the person regains consciousness.

Stress, strenuous exercise, and high doses of caffeine can be triggers for these episodes, as can a slow heart rate during sleep.

However, many people only become aware that they have the condition after an ECG.

Symptoms such as a pounding or fluttering heart, dizziness, shortness of breath, chest pain and fainting are all warning signs that you should discuss with your doctor

Arrhythmias are another problem that can lead to life-threatening heart problems.

They affect about 0.5 percent of people under the age of 40, and about two in 100 children and young people.

It causes a problem with the speed or rhythm of your heartbeat; it may beat too fast, too slow, or irregularly.

Shortness of breath, dizziness, fatigue and chest pain are all telltale signs of the condition.

It can also make you feel like your heart is racing, fluttering or missing beats in episodes that can last a few seconds or up to a few minutes, the NHS warns.

Another type of abnormal heartbeat that affects one to three in a thousand adults and children worldwide is Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome.

It occurs when there is an extra electrical connection in the heart that allows signals to bypass the usual route and cause a short circuit.

This means that the signals travel in a loop and cause a rapid heartbeat.

The extra electrical connection is caused by a part of the heart muscle that grows as a baby develops in the womb.

Symptoms such as a pounding or fluttering heart, dizziness, shortness of breath, chest pain, and fainting are all warning signs that you should talk to your doctor.

Supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) is another type of electrical problem that affects around 1 in 400 people in Britain.

Although it can occur at any age, it often first begins in children and young adults.

For many people, their first symptoms are a very fast heart rate, even when they are resting.

A normal resting heart rate is 60 to 100 beats per minute (bpm). But for people with SVT, their heart rate can suddenly exceed 100 beats per minute.

Some people may also have chest pain, feel breathless and tired.

Conditions such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and long QT syndrome can be treated with medications to control blood pressure, correct abnormal heart rhythm, remove excess fluid, or prevent blood clots.

However, in more severe cases of long QT syndrome and arrhythmia, patients may require a pacemaker or heart surgery.