Preventing Heart Attacks

Heart Attack Info

An Introduction to Preventing Heart Attacks

Most heart attacks are caused by coronary artery disease (CAD), a condition in which arteries within the heart (known as coronary arteries) become narrowed due to a process called atherosclerosis. Coronary artery disease is actually just one of several types of heart disease. However, when most people talk about heart disease, they are actually referring to coronary artery disease in particular. This article will do the same.

Heart attack prevention begins by knowing about your heart disease risk factors along with your risk factors for heart attack, and then taking action to lower your risks. Other steps for preventing heart attacks include:

Monitoring your health
Knowing your family's medical history
Making lifestyle changes
Possibly taking medication.

You can lower your risk of having a heart attack, even if you have already had a heart attack or are told that your chances of having a heart attack are high.

Know the Risk Factors

The risk factors for heart attacks are quite similar to

risk factors for heart disease. Remember, your chance of having a heart attack increases with the number of risk factors you have.

Heart disease and heart attack risk factors include:

Age (beginning at the age of 45 for men, and 55 for women)
High cholesterol levels, also known as hypercholesterolemia (see Cholesterol and Heart Disease)
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension (see Effects of High Blood Pressure)
Diabetes (see Diabetes Complications)
Being overweight or obese (see BMI Calculator)
Not exercising
Smoking cigarettes
Having close relatives with heart disease at younger ages:

Heart disease diagnosed before age 55 in father or brother
Heart disease diagnosed before age 65 in mother or sister.

In addition, a separate heart attack risk factor is having a personal history of heart disease, such as:

Angina
A previous heart attack
Having had a surgical procedure (angioplasty, heart bypass) to increase blood flow to your heart.

(To determine your risk for a heart attack in the next 10 years, click Heart Attack Risk.)

(Preventing Heart Attacks Continued: Page 2)