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Cardiac death 1 in 8 for U.S. Men
According to an article in the Wall Street Journal recent research has shown that men age 40 in the U.S. have a one in eight chance of suffering sudden cardiac death over the remainder of their lives. For women the risk is 1 in 24. 300,000 Americans a year suffer sudden cardiac death. Heart attack is the most common cause but vale disease, infections, and heart-beat irregularities can also be the cause.
Prevention/eat healthy
These deaths are largely preventable, noted authority Dr. Lloyd-Jones. Healthy eating, not smoking, exercising regularly and taking appropriate medication as prescribed by a Cardiologist would result in a substantial reduction in heart attacks. Recognizing the early warning signs can also reduce risk.
Risk factors to avoid;
- Lower your cholesterol with proper diet, exercise and medication if necessary
- Avoid abnormal obesity with proper diet and exercise
- Avoid depression
- Avoid excess stress
- Quit smoking
- Bring your blood pressure down
- Avoid diabetes and if you have it make sure to treat it under doctor's orders
If you can change your lifestyle to avoid these risk factors you should certainly be less likely to have a heart attack. In many cases the advice of a physician or specialist will be helpful or necessary to assist you.
Healthy Heart Tips from the American Heart Association
- Alcohol use in moderation. (One to two drinks a day for men, one drink for women).
- 30 minutes of exercise 5 days a week.
- Keep blood pressure below 140/90.
- Keep LDL cholesterol below 100 for patients at high risk of heart attack.
- Keep LDL cholesterol below 70 for patients considered at especially high risk of heart attack.
For more information check out the
American Heart Association www.americanheart.org/
and the Association's patient portal www.hearthub.org/
If you can change your lifestyle to avoid these risk factors you should certainly be less likely to have a heart attack. In many cases the advice of a physician or specialist will be helpful or necessary to assist you.
Prevent Having a Heart Attack
Dr. Virend Somers, a cardiologist from the Mayo Clinic writes:.
Most heart attacks occur in the day, generally between 6 A.M. and noon, Somers said. Having one during the night, when the heart should be most at rest, means that something unusual happened. Somers and his colleagues have been working for a decade to show that sleep apnea is to blame.
If you take an aspirin or a baby aspirin once a day, take it at night. The reason: aspirin has a 24-hour "half-life" therefore, if most heart attacks happen in the wee hours of the morning, the aspirin would be strongest in your system.
Why keep aspirin by your bedside? It's about Heart Attacks: There are other symptoms of an heart attack besides the pain on the left arm. One must also be aware of an intense pain on the chin, as well as nausea and lots of sweating, however these symptoms may also occur less frequently. Note: There may be NO pain in the chest during a heart attack.
The majority of people (about 60%) who had a heart attack during their sleep, did not wake up. However, if it occurs, the chest pain may wake you up from your deep sleep.
If that happens, immediately dissolve two aspirins in your mouth and swallow them with a bit of water.
Afterwards:
- call 911
- phone a neighbor or a family member who lives very close by
- say "heart attack!"
- say that you have taken 2 aspirins.
- take a seat on a chair or sofa near the front door, and wait for their arrival and...- do NOT lie down.
Information from Web MD and the American Heart Association
How to Recognizing Heart Attack Symptoms
Chest discomfort that feels like pressure, or seems like a squeezing pain in the center of your chest. This pain generally lasts for more than a few minutes, but sometimes goes away and returns.
Pain and/or discomfort that extends beyond your chest to other parts of your upper body, such as one or both arms, back, neck, stomach, teeth, and even your jaw. Shortness of breath, with or without chest discomfort. Other symptoms include: cold sweats, nausea or vomiting, lightheadedness, indigestion, fatigue
What Should I Do When Heart Attack Symptoms Occur
If you or someone you are with experiences chest discomfort or other heart attack symptoms. Call 911 right away. Do not wait to make the call. Do not drive yourself to the hospital. Do not drive the person having a heart attack to the hospital.
Immediate treatment lessens heart damage and can save your life.
Emergency medical services personnel can begin treatment in the ambulance on the way to the hospital and are trained to revive a person if his/her heart stops.
Some people delay treatment because they are not sure they are really having a heart attack. Remember call 911 immediately as treatment given within an hour of the first heart attack symptoms saves lives and damage to the heart and substantially increases the chances of survival.
What Should I Do Before Paramedics Arrive
If 911 has been called
1. Try to keep the person calm, and have them sit or lie down.
2. If the person is not allergic to aspirin, have them chew and swallow a baby aspirin (It works faster when chewed and not swallowed whole.)
3. If the person stops breathing, you or someone else who is qualified should perform CPR immediately. If you don't know CPR, the 9-1-1 operator can assist you until the EMS personnel arrive.
Develop a Heart Attack Action Plan:
• Decide who would take care of any dependents. Make sure these backup people are willing to help out in an emergency.
• Write down a list of medications you are currently taking, medications you are allergic to, your doctors' phone numbers (both during and after office hours), and contact information for a friend or relative. Keep copies of this information in several places, such as at home, at work, in your car, and in your wallet or purse.
• Give instructions to your family and friends. Tell them the warning signs of a heart attack and what to do if you experience these signs.
• Keep a bottle of aspirin in your home, car, office, and toiletry bag. Always have your cell phone with you in case you need to call for help.
As posted in Heart Health Feb 2011
Medical Disclaimer: The information on these pages is not intended to substitute for the advice of a physician |