Heart Attack (Myocardial Infarction)
Heart Attack Prevention Methods
The comfortable lifestyle that people engaged in during the last few
decades have resulted in a high rate of heart attacks. More people die
from heart attacks than from cancer. However, due to the public's awareness
towards the main heart attack risks and the constant improvement of treatment
protocols, the rate of heart attacks resulting in death has decreased
in the recent years.
Fortunately,
a heart attack can be prevented even in individuals with a history
of heart attacks, and the risk of heart attack can be reduced.
The American Heart Association recommends
that heart attack prevention should start at the age of 20. The
most effective approach in preventing a heart attack is assessing
the risk factors and keeping them under control, opting for a
healthy lifestyle, and keeping the body trim.
Choose a healthy lifestyle.
The way we choose to live our life has a great impact on the
functioning of the entire body, especially the heart. The following
tips can help reduce heart attack risk factors:
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Quit smoking. The links
between smoking and heart attacks was established
in 1964 and in time, smoking was found to be the
major cause of blood vessel diseases outside and
inside the heart. Cigarette smoking damages the
cell lining within the blood vessels and heart
increasing the risk of atherosclerosis and blood
clots.
Keep cholesterol low. Fat
deposits on the blood vessel walls is extremely
dangerous and is a main cause of atherosclerosis
which leads to heart attacks and strokes. To
prevent this from happening, doctors recommend a
lower intake of saturated fat, trans fat, and
cholesterol, to exercise daily, and as a last
remedy, take prescription medication.
Natural Supplements:
Over the counter natural supplements, Fiber,
Niacin, Plant Sterols, Garlic, and Co-enzyme Q10,
have been proven to lower cholesterol levels.
Exercises regularly.
Research has shown that exercising at least 30
minutes every day can significantly decrease the
risk of heart attack by lowering blood pressure
and cholesterol, keeping your weight under
control, and strengthening the heart muscle. The
heart muscle is similar with any other muscle
within the body and can weaken and fatigue
quicker if it is deprived of training. This can
lead to higher blood pressure, lower blood flow,
and increased risk of blood clots.
Maintain a healthy weight.
Unfortunately, statistics show a cruel reality
that approximately one third of the US population
is obese. An obese person is considered to weigh
with 20 percent more than the normal weight based
on age and height. Being obese leads to
significant health problems such as diabetes,
higher levels of cholesterol, lumbar back pains
and joint problems, and cardiovascular problems
(high blood pressure and heart attacks). Obesity
puts lot of strain of the heart and significantly
increases its workload.
Choose a healthy diet.
Weight problems are the direct result of a diet
high in calories. The adult body requests less
calories and less food than a young body during
the growing stage. The decrease in necessary
caloric intake is mainly demanded by the heart.
The heart is by far the main consumer of calories
and while we age, the heart workload decreases.
Nutritionists recommend nutrient-rich food such
vegetables, fruits, whole-grain and high-fiber
food, fish, and lean protein and fat-free or
low-fat diary products. Avoid aliments such as
butter, high fat milk, ice creams (especially if
you battle weight problems), fat meat, egg
yellow, and nuts.
Medication. The risk
of heart attack in people with a history of heart attacks
or coronary artery disease has decreased significantly
due to the benefits of drug therapy. Medication is
usually prescribed for those patients that suffer from
coronary heart disease, had suffered a heart attacks in
the past, or have a high risk of heart attack.
Individual that have
suffered a heart attack are predisposed to form blood
clots within their arteries, therefore the drug therapy
is focused on blood-thinning medication (such as aspirin
or clopidogrel - Plavix). This type of medication is
effective in preventing the blood from sticking together
and forming blood clots. Another type of medication
prescribed in patients that suffered a heart attack is
beta-blockers and angiotensin-converting enzyme
inhibitors. Beta-blockers are prescribed for at least one
year, or longer, following a heart attack, due to its
effect on lowering the heart demand by lowering the blood
pressure and heart rate. Angiotensin-converting enzyme
inhibitors reduce the heart's pumping ability allowing
the blood to flow easier through the heart.
In attempts to prevent a heart attack, doctors
focus on reducing or controlling the risk factors that can lead to a heart
attack such as cholesterol, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Some of
the medication prescribed can include cholesterol-lowering medication
(such as statins, niacin, fibrates, bile acid sequestrants), and diuretics,
also known as "water pills", which help controlling high blood
pressure by decreasing the fluid in the body.
Article by Kona Vishnu, MS
Medical Writer,
OmniMedicalSearch.com
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