American Medical Association Family Medical Guide - American Medical Association [17]
• Family history Especially at a young age—a father or brother diagnosed with heart disease before age 55, or a mother or sister diagnosed before age 65.
• Race African Americans have a higher risk of heart disease than people of other races.
Risk factors you can control
• Smoking Smoking is a major risk factor for heart disease because it raises blood pressure, damages blood vessels, promotes blood clotting, and accelerates plaque formation in artery walls.
• High blood pressure High blood pressure (hypertension) puts extra stress on the heart and blood vessels.
• Undesirable cholesterol profile A high total cholesterol level, a low HDL (good) cholesterol level, or a high LDL (bad) cholesterol level can promote plaque formation on artery walls.
• Being overweight Excess weight increases the heart’s workload.
• Lack of exercise Regular exercise makes the heart stronger, keeps weight down, improves cholesterol levels, and lowers blood pressure.
• Diabetes Over time, diabetes damages blood vessels and boosts the risk of heart attack and stroke.
• Stress Unmanaged stress increases heart rate, can cause disturbances in heart rhythm, and can contribute to angina (chest pain from heart disease).
The more of these risk factors you have, the higher your risk of heart disease. Discuss your risk factors with your doctor and ask about steps you can take to avoid heart disease.
Preventing Heart Disease
Doctors have linked many common lifestyle activities to the development of heart disease. By controlling these lifestyle factors, you can prevent heart disease or greatly reduce your chances of getting it—even if you have a family history of the disorder.
What to Do If You’re Having a Heart Attack
If you or someone else is having a heart attack, don’t delay getting treatment—a heart attack does the most damage to the heart muscle in the first 2 hours. Even if you aren’t sure it’s really a heart attack because it feels like heartburn or indigestion, call for help anyway. It’s better to be wrong than to sustain serious heart damage because you waited too long. Acting quickly can save your life.
• At the first sign of symptoms, sit or lie down.
• If your symptoms last longer than 2 minutes, call 911 or your local emergency number and say you may be having a heart attack.
• If you have nitroglycerin tablets, take one every 5 minutes—up to three pills total.
• If you don’t have nitroglycerin, take an aspirin; it can thin the blood and may allow more blood to reach your heart.
• Don’t drive yourself to the hospital; wait for the emergency medical team to arrive. They have the special equipment needed to provide emergency care for a heart attack.
• Don’t smoke. Cigarette smoking is a major contributor to heart disease. One year after quitting, your risk of heart disease is cut in half; within about 5 years, your risk is equal to that of a person who has never smoked.
• Eat a healthy diet. Consume a diet that is low in saturated fat and trans fats, includes plenty of fruits and vegetables, and incorporates omega-3 fatty acids from fish several times a month. Limiting your intake of saturated fat (found in meat and full-fat dairy products) can lower your blood cholesterol level. Limit your salt intake (salt can raise blood pressure in some people), and drink alcohol in moderation (excessive drinking can raise blood pressure).
• Exercise regularly. Regular physical activity reduces your chances of having a heart attack by at least a third. Regular exercise lowers blood pressure, improves cholesterol levels, and reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes—all major risk factors for heart disease. Exercise also helps control weight.
• Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight raises blood pressure and cholesterol and can lead to type 2 diabetes. Losing as few as 10 pounds helps lower the risk.
• Reduce stress. Several changes take place in your body when you are under stress. Your heart beats faster, more fat enters your bloodstream,