How to prevent heart attack

Every 37 seconds, someone in the United States dies from heart disease. That’s about 650,000 people a year. And the numbers have been INCREASING every year since 2014. Perhaps even more shocking than those numbers is the fact that this disease, in most cases, is largely preventable – and the steps of prevention really aren’t very complicated. The problem is that most of us just aren’t doing it. Life’s Simple 7 Research has shown that people at the highest risk for heart disease can lower their risk by as much as 80% by taking 7 simple preventive measures. Yes, I said 80% – shocking, right? And these measures don’t just lower the risk for heart disease. Those who take these 7 steps cut their risk of stroke in half, lower their risk of cancer by 1/3, and give them the best chance of avoiding dementia. Almost sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it? You would be right to be skeptical of such wondrous claims. We’ve all heard about the “miracle cures” that are anything but miracles, but these 7 factors aren’t a scam – and they won’t cost you hundreds or thousands of dollars. In fact, they’re not even particularly complicated. The American Heart Association calls them “Life’s Simple 7”. The seven simple measures that can save your life – or the life of someone you love: • Be physically active. • 150 minutes of moderate physical activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week. • Eat a healthy diet. • There are lots of definitions here, but in general, this means a plant-focus...

How can you live a longer, healthier life? These eight key factors can help you lower your risk of heart attack and stroke if you’ve never had one. They’re part of an overall healthy lifestyle for adults. And they can help you build a powerful prevention plan with your health care team (doctors, nurses, pharmacists, registered dietitians, and other professionals). 1. Know your risk. If you’re between 40 and 75 years old and have never had a heart attack or stroke, use our TM to estimate your risk of having a cardiovascular event in the next 10 years. Certain factors can increase your risk, such as smoking, kidney disease or a family history of early heart disease. Knowing your risk factors can help you and your health care team decide on the best treatment plan for you. Many risk factors can be improved with lifestyle changes. 2. Eat a healthy diet. Center your eating plan around vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, plant-based proteins, lean animal proteins and fish. Make smart choices like limiting refined carbohydrates, processed meats and sweetened drinks. Use the 3. Be physically active. Move more – it’s one of the best ways to stay healthy, prevent disease and age well. 4. Watch your weight. Stay at a healthy weight for you. 5. Live tobacco-free. If you don’t smoke, vape or use tobacco products, don’t ever start. There’s no such thing as a safe tobacco product. If 6. Manage conditions. If you have 7. Take your medicine. If you have a health condition, you...

Knowledge is power. If you understand the risks for Risk factors are traits and lifestyle habits that can increase your chance of having a heart attack. So, it’s important to know them. You can change some risk factors, some you can’t. The first step is to talk to your health care professional, who can help you reduce, control or prevent as many risk factors as you can. They may recommend healthy changes to your daily habits, prescribe medication, or both. If you don’t have a primary care physician, you may be able to see someone at a clinic in your community. Know Your Risk Your health care team will review your medical and family history. They will also want to know: • Whether you’ve ever had a heart attack or stroke, or blockages in the arteries of your heart, neck or legs. • Your risk factors, including age, sex, if you have diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or are overweight or obese, and if you smoke. • About your lifestyle. They will ask about your diet and physical activity levels, alcohol intake and drugs or supplements you’ve been taking. Your health care professional may use a risk calculator to estimate your chance for a heart attack. If you’re between 40 and 75 years old and have never had a heart attack, ask to have your risk of a cardiovascular event assessed in the next 10 years. You can use the Traditional risk factors for heart attack include: • Smoking • High blood pressure • High cholesterol • Diabetes • Overweight or obesity Risk-enhanci...

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. About 697,000 deaths each year stem from heart-related causes, including those from heart attack and stroke, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This accounts for about 1 in every 5 deaths. The economic burden of heart disease is also enormous, totaling about $229 billion in healthcare costs and lost productivity, the CDC reports. Many of these deaths could be prevented and the healthcare costs reduced through medication and changes in health habits, the CDC notes. Gender is also a risk factor. Men have a higher risk of heart attack than women and also tend to have heart attacks earlier in life. However, women have a greater chance of dying from a heart attack. Black Americans, Mexican Americans, Native Americans, native Hawaiians, and some Asian Americans are also at a greater There are also modifiable risk factors, such as smoking, high blood pressure, If you love grapefruit but don't love the bitterness factor, this recipe is perfect for you. It's also a great way to impress your guests. One essential tool you'll need is a kitchen torch, to create the brûlée top on the grapefruit. Serve this for a fancy brunch, or just enjoy during the week when you feel like treating yourself! Lifestyle Changes to Prevent Heart Attacks Lifestyle changes are your first line of defense against heart attacks. Most major risk factors for heart disease are related in some way to your lifestyle, ...

Aspirin is a pain reliever that can thin the blood. Healthcare professionals may recommend it to help prevent heart attacks. It may also be beneficial during or after a heart attack. But it is not suitable for everyone. This article describes the connection between Later, it looks at who should avoid aspirin, the risks involved, and other daily ways to help prevent a heart attack. Share on Pinterest Randy Faris/Getty Images Aspirin can help prevent heart attacks by making it more difficult for platelets in the blood to form clots. Smoking and certain medical conditions, such as high If parts of these plaques break off, they too can form blood clots. These can block arteries and reduce the blood flow to the heart, causing a heart attack. Aspirin can help Before taking an aspirin for a suspected heart attack, contact 911 or the local emergency number. The operator can advise whether to take aspirin and how much to take. If the operator does not suggest aspirin, the person may receive it in the emergency department. Dose A person can take The United Kingdom’s National Health Service recommends chewing a Uncoated aspirin is preferable, as it works faster, but a person can also chew an enteric-coated tablet if uncoated ones are unavailable. A healthcare professional may prescribe a daily low dosage of aspirin to prevent heart attacks. One 2019 study found that people who regularly took aspirin had a Also, a People with this increased risk include those who: • currently smoke • ...

Why should I care about heart attacks and cardiac arrest? You might assume that a In fact, you're never too young to start thinking about this stuff. The American In the long run, the odds are almost one in three that you will die of What are heart attacks and cardiac arrest? You've heard the terms a million times. But do you know the difference between a The cause of a Sometimes the Cardiac arrest is different. While a heart attack is a plumbing problem, cardiac arrest is electrical. Your heart is triggered to beat with regular electrical impulses. But if these electrical impulses become erratic -- causing an While they're different problems, a heart attack can sometimes lead to cardiac arrest. How can I prevent a heart attack or cardiac arrest? The goal of heart attack and cardiac arrest prevention is to minimize the buildup of plaque in your arteries, which can lead to a condition called Plaque builds up gradually. The good news is that you don't have to worry that a single order of fettuccine Alfredo will suddenly plug up your arteries. The bad news is that decades later, your arteries may still show some ill effects of all that junk you ate in high school and college. Almost no one has significant So how do you reduce the build-up of plaque? You probably already know the answer. It's all the stuff you should be doing (but maybe aren't). You can reduce the build-up if you do the following: • • Eat right -- preferably a • • Don't smoke -- smokers are 2 to 4 times as lik...

Aspirin is an over-the-counter drug used to treat pain, headaches, and fever. You may have heard that aspirin can also be used to decrease the risk of heart attacks. While it’s true that a low, daily dose of aspirin can help prevent a heart attack, that doesn’t mean everyone should take it. For many people, the risks of taking aspirin every day outweigh the benefits. Read on to learn about the link between aspirin and cardiovascular health, as well as who may be a good candidate for daily aspirin use. Aspirin is a Clots become dangerous when they move around the body or stop the flow of blood to important organs. A heart attack occurs when platelets form a clot that blocks the flow of blood to the heart. This is more likely to occur among people who have certain health conditions, such as If you have risk factors for blood clots, your doctor might prescribe a blood thinner to reduce your risk for a heart attack. Taking aspirin during a heart attack may help lessen the damage, but you should first call for emergency medical help before doing so. Since it’s an effective blood thinner, a small dose may be enough to stop or slow the formation of a blood clot. With that said, aspirin isn’t right for everyone. You shouldn’t take it if you have an allergy to aspirin. Recommended dosage The If you already take daily low-dose aspirin, take two tablets (162 mg). For the fastest results, you should crush or chew the tablet before swallowing it. If you only have regular aspirin on han...