How to prevent a heart attack

It was very sad and shocking, to read about the sudden tragic demise of a very popular and bright sports journalist in this country. Most likely, he suffered a myocardial infarction (popularly called heart attack). There was yet another case like this, another prominent person, who developed chest pain suddenly and died on way to King Faycal hospital. These are not isolated stray cases, but indicators of the fact that heart problems exist not only in the western developed world, but also in developing countries. A sudden death due to heart attack is not only loss of an individual or family but also of a nation in terms of loss of productive citizens. So how best can this, be prevented?It is important for people to understand the basic cause of coronary artery disease. Since infancy, there is deposition of fat in the inner layers of the blood vessels. This deposit may become thick enough to block the lumen of the blood vessels, thus curtailing off blood supply to the heart. Now if a major part of the heart is damaged, there can be sudden death due to shock and other ensuing complications. Hereditary factors play a part in the causation of the heart problem. High fat diet, obesity, lack of adequate exercise, smoking, alcohol, physical and mental stress are the risk factors in an individual’s life style which can precipitate and aggravate coronary artery disease. Uncontrolled high blood pressure and diabetes and high cholesterol, also aggravate fat deposition and induce heart attacks. Regarding prevention of heart attacks, first and foremost is correction of life style risk factors. Focus should be on a healthy diet. There are many kinds of diets and diet schedules claiming to be, ‘perfect’ for heart patients. But there is no perfect diet as such. Eating habits vary from person to person. There are individual variations, which again depend on individual likes and dislikes, culture, availability of food items and their costs. What is needed is a common sense approach. Freshly cooked balanced meal is always healthy. This should include fresh vegetables, fruits, whole grains, cereals and milk with milk products. Fish is desirable among meat products. Substances with high amount of saturated fat like cheese, milk cream, sugar containing delicacies, e.t.c. should be avoided. Junk and instant foods are also not healthy. Alcohol and smoking should be quit if possible. The role of exercise is no less than that of correct diet in prevention of cardiac problems. Various studies have repeatedly shown good amount of physical exercise to be beneficial in improving control of blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol levels (all risk factors for coronary artery disease) and thus preventing heart attacks. Brisk walking, jogging, swimming, aerobics and yoga are the type of exercises which are safe and useful. One should exercise for a minimum 30minutes if not daily then at least 3 times per week. The only caution needed is, exercise should be done to the limit of tolerance. If one is not habituated to any physical activity, he or she should start with a small quantity and increase the quantity of exercise done regularly. If at any point one experiences breathlessness or chest pain or any discomfort, exercise should be stopped. Physical and mental relaxation goes a long way in preventing heart attacks. A person should not work to the point of getting exhausted. If the work at hand is important to finish, a short pause can be taken in between. Activities involving lifting or pushing heavy weights should be avoided. An individual needs to relax himself mentally by means of positive cheerful thoughts, prayers, meditation and yoga. Yoga is beneficial in multiple ways in prevention of heart problems. Apart from being a safe physical exercise, it also provides complete mental relaxation. Creative pass times also help in mental relaxation. If somebody is suffering from high blood pressure or diabetes, it is important for them to follow dietary restrictions and take prescribed medicines regularly. If an individual has a family history of heart problems, in parents or siblings, he has to be extra careful and take adequate measures for preventing heart problems. –rachna212002@yahoo.co.uk