Heart Attack Prevention

February 23, 2009

Overview

Heart disease that results in heart attack is the leading cause of death in most industrialized nations. Though heart attacks can happen to anyone, if you incorporate several methods of preventing heart disease into your life and raise your own awareness, your risks of suffering from a heart attack will be significantly lowered.

An important step in heart attack prevention is to get in the habit of a regular exercise regimen. People who live sedentary lifestyles have a much greater risk of heart attack than those who are active. It's best to be active from childhood, but it's never too late to begin heart attack prevention. Even age 50 is a good time to start exercising. Every step you take now to improve your health decreases your risk of heart disease. In fact, if a 50-year-old has been diligently working a plan toward preventing heart attack, a sedentary 20-year-old will probably be at greater risk of an attack than the 50-year-old.

A healthy diet prevents heart problems by keeping cholesterol from building up in the blood and keeping blood sugar levels on an even keel. Exercise can prevent a heart attack by keeping that muscle healthy and fit. Your doctor can also prescribe medication to help prevent a heart attack as well. Statins, which are drugs that reduce the amount of cholesterol in the blood, are commonly prescribed to control cholesterol. If you've already had a heart attack, exercise during recovery is important. You should also avoid Vitamin E as it slows recovery from heart issues. Prevention and recovery share many similar characteristics, though exercise during prevention (before you have a heart attack) should be much more intense.

Doctors also prescribe aspirin and recommend that you take an aspirin as soon as you experience symptoms of a heart attack because aspirin thins your blood, making it easier for your blood to flow through your heart.

Some rumors include that drinking warm water and being sexually active are forms of prevention. While there's certainly no harm in drinking warm beverages, there's no evidence that warm water helps. Gentle sex serves as good exercise, but it's no magic bullet. The most effective prevention methods remain good diet and exercise.