10 Ways to Avoid a Heart Attack
A heart attack, also known as a myocardial infarction, occurs when the heart muscle is damaged or doesn’t receive enough oxygen.
Many cardiac related problems occur due to blockages in arteries that carry purified blood away from the heart to different parts of the body.
An alternative, but equally devastating, cause is the formation of blood clots.
Frequently, the symptoms of a heart attack make it quite difficult to differentiate between a heart attack and heartburn.
The most common signs of a heart attack are:
- A tightness, pain, or discomfort in the chest.
- Sweating, nausea, and vomiting that are accompanied by intense pressure in the chest.
- A radiating and intense pain in the chest that extends from the chest to the left arm.
- A shortness of breath for more than a few minutes.
If you have any of the above you must consult the doctor or go to an emergency department.
If you even think you’re having a heart attack you must call for a cardiac care ambulance, and take an aspirin – don’t take it with water, chew it instead.
Try to ensure you get to the hospital within 1 hour – this is known as the “golden hour” – the period in which recovery is optimal.
The highest risk factors for a heart attack include:
- smoking,
- diabetes,
- high levels of cholesterol,
- hypertension, family history of heart diseases,
- atherosclerosis,
- lack of exercise,
- obesity,
- and fast foods.
So, it’s fairly obvious to reduce the risks of a heart attack by:
- Quitting smoking.
- Eating healthy. Avoid fatty foods, excess salt, and red meats.
- Controlling high blood pressure and diabetes.
- Ensuring regular exercise – at least 30 minutes a day. Walking is most beneficial.
- Preventing obesity. Doing all you can to maintain weight.
- Choosing to live a healthy lifestyle.
- Practicing meditation.
- Doing regular relaxation and breathing exercises.
- Undergoing periodic cardiac evaluations.
- Including foods that are rich in anti-oxidants in your diet.
According to the British Heart Foundation, approximately 2.3 million people in the UK suffer from coronary heart diseases (CHD).
And, about 73,000 people die of CHD each year.
Heart diseases and death from it can be prevented by maintaining your health.
Find a balance in life between work and other activities, abandon the couch for the outdoors, don’t watch sports on television play sports instead and you can hope to live a long and fulfilled life.
Be a well informed and caring citizen, read all about heart diseases and preventive care at:
NHS Choices –
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Coronary-heart-disease/Pages/Introduction.aspx
British Heart Foundation:
https://www.bhf.org.uk/research/heart-statistics
Remember “prevention is better than cure”, particularly when it comes to taking care of your cardio-vascular system to help prevent a heart attack