Heart Attack
A heart attack is as scary as it sounds because it indicates that blood flow to your heart is blocked. The blockage interrupts the blood flow process, damaging your heart muscles. You may experience disturbing symptoms like shortness of breath and chest pains. However, you do not have to go through all that. Dr. Rishin Shah has stepped up to help you understand what increases your risk for a heart attack and how you can work around those risks. Here is a discussion on the possible risks of a heart attack.
Age
While a heart attack may affect anyone, your risk increases with age, as most people who experience heart attacks are 65 years and above. However, men are likelier to develop a heart attack than women and may have attacks earlier in life. You may attain menopause as a woman but still have a lower heart attack death rate than a man.
High Cholesterol Levels in Your Blood
During one of your cardiovascular health assessments, your doctor may perform a cholesterol evaluation to check the amounts in your blood. While cholesterol is part of your blood, higher levels may put you at risk for a heart attack. You may require regular assessments to check your cholesterol levels, especially if you already have heart disease, to reduce the risk of a heart attack.
Hypertension
Also known as high blood pressure, the condition causes your heart muscles to become stiffer and thicken. As a result, your heart may fail to function normally, increasing your risk for a heart attack. Having weight issues, diabetes, and high levels of bad cholesterol alongside high blood pressure raises your risk even further. You can talk to your doctor about keeping your pressure at normal levels.
Diabetes
Having diabetes increases your risk of developing heart conditions that increase the risk of a heart attack. Therefore, you may need to always ensure your blood sugar levels are under control and seek help when you cannot control them. You can go for regular checkups and take your medications as prescribed to control your blood sugar levels.
Overweight
Excess body fat puts you at risk for heart conditions, and you are more likely to develop stroke and heart attacks. Being overweight also associates with risk factors like hypertension, high glucose, and high cholesterol levels, making it easier to develop a heart attack. Therefore, your doctor recommends shedding off the extra weight, including excess fat at your waist.
Physical Inactivity
Maintaining an inactive lifestyle can increase the risk of a heart attack. Physical inactivity may cause increased levels of blood cholesterol, overweight, and high blood sugar levels. Therefore, you should stop practicing an inactive lifestyle and aim for brief exercises daily to control blood sugar levels and reduce excess weight. You can talk to your doctor about creating a routine physical activity schedule.
A heart attack can onset at any age and affect anyone. Therefore, a healthy lifestyle can be key to avoiding possible heart attacks. Knowledge is power, and now that you know about the risk factors of a heart attack, you can begin to take steps that improve your cardiovascular health. You may require changing risk factors you can control, like your weight, physical activity, and medical conditions with medications. You can include your doctor in addressing risk factors and devise a plan that works well for you.
