Don't Ignore Your Heart Health

 

Whether old or young, heart attack is life threatening and affects your health negatively. It is also true that nothing can be done instantaneously to prevent a heart attack. But not to have a heart attack at a young age, your lifestyle certainly needs to be corrected. Whoever ignores the sound of the heart, in most cases, regrets it later. Once the signs are found, proper diagnosis and treatment is a must.

Several times a heart attack comes without any premonitory warning sign or symptoms and these individuals are the unlucky ones one could say. But there are others who get warning signs in the form of angina (chest pain or heaviness on effort and relieved by rest or gas eruption) in days to weeks preceding a heart attack that is going to damage the heart permanently and could also risk your life. Intelligent are those who take heed of these signs and follow the doctors advise of timely investigations and intervention before the onslaught of the major event and foolish are those who ignore the advise and continue with their presumption of symptoms being related to gas and the window shopping for treatment options till one day they have the event and loose their life.

 

Heart attacks are on the rise at a young age?

 

The Indian ethnic origin individuals are prone to develop heart disease 10 years younger compared to the western society. Also it is not uncommon to see individual less than 40 years of age to as young as 30 years age developing a heart attack.  

 

What are symptoms of Heart Disease?

 

When there is a narrowing in the heart arteries supply blood to the heart muscle you can get the following symptoms.

Angina (Chest pain) – Heaviness in central chest more on effort or walking and often radiating to jaw, back and one or both sholders upto the hands.

Acidity- Sudden unexplained acidity or pressure in chest being relieved by gas eruption.

Shortness of Breath (SOB)- Shortness of breath on effort or walking which is relieved instantaneously with rest.

 

What is a Heart Attack?

When we do not pay attention to the premonitory symptoms of heart disease which are secondary to deficient blood supply to heart muscle as a result of the blockage in heart arteries, the blockages could suddenly increase to a total blockage of the artery leading to a heart attack. Treatment should start within 2 to 3 hours which is called the Golden Hour. A time cycle of progressive muscle loss starts from the time of heart attack which will lead to permanent heart muscle damage and could also risk your life.

 

What is Cardiac Arrest?

When the heart stops working as a result of major muscle loss from a heart attack or the heart beating becomes too slow or very fast because of electrical instability it leads to sudden cardiac arrest. Cardiac arrest needs immediate defibrillatory shock or cardiac massage and mouth to mouth respiration as part of cardio pulmonary resuscitation.

 

Heart Attack rates are increasing off late– Why?

Doctors also say that the reason for the increasing rates of heart attack is the lifestyle changes in today’s fast moving society. Some of the risk factors leading to a heart attack at a young age including the following:

• Lack of physical activity
• Smoking or excessive use of tobacco
• Obesity and high body mass index
• High Stress Levels
• Uncontrolled blood pressure
• Substance abuse or excessive alcohol use
• High cholesterol level
• Family history or genetic risk of heart attack
• Diabetes Mellitus
• Poor diet and excess consumption of fried foods.

 

How to avoid Heart Attack?

• Timely action on the first detected sign of cardiac suggestive symptoms
• Avoiding smoking or any substance abuse
• Keeping diabetes or blood pressure in control with medications if required
• A daily routine of 30 to 40 minutes of exercise atleast 5 days a week
• Maintain ideal body weight
• Avoid fatty and fried foods.