A heart attack is a medical emergency that has the potential to have devastating effects on the victim and their family. Heart attacks are caused by blocked arteries, which can be treated by immediate medical intervention.
There are several factors that can be attributed to this sudden increase in heart attacks in recent years. It’s important for people to know what these causes are so that they’ll be able to determine if they or a loved one might be a victim of a heart attack.
The problem is that it can take an hour or even longer for an emergency medical services team with a BLS certification to arrive at a victim’s location in order to treat them.
It’s essential to understand your risks to prevent a heart attack. Read on below for heart attack risk factors you can’t ignore.
Gender
Women have less genetic predisposition than men for cardiovascular diseases. They’re also generally healthier than men.
Age
Most deaths caused by heart attacks happen in people over the age 65, but the risk actually begins to increase dramatically at 40 (for men, it begins at 50), but it continues to rise with age.
When you’re younger, the risk is reduced, but the more you age, your risk for heart attack increases. Age also increases your risk of being in asystole.
Family History
There’s a strong relationship between a heart attack and having one or more close relatives who have a history of heart attacks. If a member of your family has had a heart attack, you are at greater risk.
Diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity, and an unhealthy diet can all contribute to the risk. In some cases, your family may have a genetic predisposition for heart problems.
High Cholesterol Levels
A significant factor that increases the risk of heart attacks are high cholesterol levels. Cholesterol is the substance that builds up in your arteries, the narrow passageways where blood is supplied to all of the major organs of your body.
When the level of cholesterol is too high, your arterial walls become damaged and can easily burst. As a result, the blood supply can no longer carry enough oxygen, thus making cells die.
Diet
Lifestyle, particularly your diet, is very important. This includes how much alcohol you drink, and what types of fat you eat. You should try to avoid eating too many fatty foods because they can increase your cholesterol levels, which may be the cause of heart disease.
The consumption of trans fats and saturated fats is very bad for your health. In fact, they’re also known as “bad” cholesterol, because they increase your overall cholesterol by breaking down the membranes of the arteries.
The foods that you should eat are those with low cholesterol, such as nuts, whole grains, fresh seafood, as well as fruits and vegetables.
Cigarette Smoking
Smoking is one of the most potent risk factors for developing heart disease that may lead to a heart attack. If you’re a smoker, you should quit smoking to improve your odds of living a long and healthy life.
Obesity
Another factor that may have an effect on your heart attack risk is being overweight. When you are overweight, you put a strain on your heart, because it has a harder time pumping blood and getting nutrients to all of your vital organs, especially when you’re at rest.
If you suffer from obesity, you should really be careful about the way that you eat and the type of food that you choose. By losing weight, you’ll help improve your overall health and decrease your risk of having an attack. However, you should also consider exercising regularly.
Stress Levels
You should also be careful if your stress levels are high. If you’re feeling depressed, anxious, stressed, or nervous, then you should try to relax by taking a break from work or going out to a movie.
Take some deep breaths when you feel nervous and try to learn coping techniques. That will help you relax and reduce the risk of experiencing a heart attack.
Conclusion
It’s very important to understand the risk factors of a heart attack, and how you can prevent them.
If you have any of the risk factors mentioned and discussed above, it’s important that you do everything you can to control them, of course with the exception of gender, age, and family history.
If you already suffer from a heart problem, there are many things you can do to reduce your risk, including incorporating new lifestyle habits.
You can start by quitting smoking, exercising regularly, lowering your blood pressure and cholesterol levels, eating healthier, lowering your blood sugar level, reducing your stress levels, and avoiding alcohol. If you’re not sure what these risk factors are, talk to your doctor.
