Heart Attack: Are You At Risk?

If you’re male and you lead an inactive lifestyle you probably
have at least 3 risk factors associated with heart disease
I know, I know, you feel fine but so do most people before they
have a heart attack Unfortunately, most people find out they
have heart disease the day they are admitted in to hospital, and
they are the lucky ones!
Ladies, don’t think this is just something for men to worry
about (as it has been in the past) Women, as well as men, are
more likely to die of heart disease than of any type of cancer
This is because of our modern lifestyle We are working longer
hours, so we eat fast food, and there’s no time for exercise To
make matters worse, machines are taking the ‘work’ out of work
We are less active and it’s killing us!
So what are the risk factors for heart disease?
Firstly, there are two types of risk factors: those that can be
changed, and those that can’t be changed It’s important to know
that you only need to have 3 of these to be at risk Each extra
risk factor that you have increases your chance of having a
heart attack substantially
Risk factors that can’t be changed:
Heredity: You are at greater risk if your parents, grandparents,
brothers, or sisters, have heart disease
Gender: Men are at greater risk than women, though the risk for
women increases after menopause
Age: As you increase in age, so do your chances of having a
heart attack Once you reach 40 you should have regular
check-ups
Risk factors that can be changed:
Smoking: A smoker is twice as likely than a non-smoker to have a
heart attack It not only places extra strain on the heart and
lungs but also makes blood cholesterol stickier, making it
easier to block arteries
High Blood Cholesterol: Cholesterol is produced naturally by the
body and is essential to our health The problem comes when we
consume too much in our diet
High Blood Pressure: Just like with high cholesterol there are
no early symptoms The first most people learn they have this is
when it’s at a dangerous level
Physical Inactivity: If you are inactive, you are more likely to
have a heart attack Even a 10 minute walk each day can make all
the difference
Obesity: If you are obese, you are placing your heart under a
great deal of strain even at rest
I might be at risk, what should I do?
If you think you could be at risk, the first thing you should do
is visit your doctor Secondly, you need to modify your
lifestyle Exercise for at least 10 minutes per day (30 minutes
is better but anything is better than nothing!) You also need
to eat foods that are low in fat If you smoke you need to give
up
Even if you don’t have many risk factors it’s a good idea to
visit your doctor each year Some risk factors can change within
a short period of time and getting on to them early can make all
the difference

Tags | attack, cholesterol, factor, factors, grandparents, heart, heredity, inactive, lifestyle, menopause, pressure, result, risk, smoker, ups