Risk Factors

Reducing Your Risk of Heart Attack

Haven't you heard enough?
It's true you'd have to live in a cave these days not to hear countless messages about heart-healthy living. But some of these messages are confusing, and occasionally one may even contradict another.

As you read this, here are the most important points to remember:

• Smoking, high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure, and lack of physical activity are the most serious risk factors for heart disease and heart attack.

• Controlling one risk factor can help you control others; for example, regular exercise can help control cholesterol, blood pressure, weight, and stress levels.

• If you have any signs of a heart attack, seek help right away. Never put it off because you're embarrassed or unsure.
  

The culprit-atherosclerosis
Most heart attacks are a result of atherosclerosis. This is the build-up of fatty plaque inside the arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle. When the flow of blood is reduced because of this blockage, the heart muscle does not receive enough oxygen. If an artery becomes completely blocked, a heart attack can occur.

What causes atherosclerosis?
No one knows the exact cause, but we do know there are factors that contribute to it (see below). The more risk factors you have (especially the major ones), the greater are your chances of a heart attack.

Focus your energy on the controllable risk factors especially smoking, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and lack of exercise. Try not to dwell on those factors you can't control. But if you have them (such as being a male with a family history of heart disease), know that it becomes even more important for you to reduce your other risks.

Contributing Factors You Can't Control

Major Factors Include:
Cigarette Smoking
Heredity
Obecity
Increasing Age

Cigarette smoking can:

• Increase heart rate and blood pressure.

• Reduce oxygen supply to the heart muscle.

• Aggravate heart rhythm problems.

• Decrease HDL cholesterol (the good kind)

• Promote artery wall damage.
  

Quitting smoking may be the single best step you can take for the sake of your heart. And the moment you quit, you will begin to reduce your risks from smoking.

If you've tried to quit before and have not succeeded, don't worry. Your motivation and skill levels may be different now, and you may have more of the information you need.

High Blood Pressure
Blood pressure is the pressure inside your arteries as the heart pumps blood through them. Normal blood pressure varies from person to person. But if your pressure is consistently 140/90 or more, it's too high.

Untreated high blood pressure can cause wear and tear on your arteries and increase your risk for serious health problems. It can lead to heart disease, kidney damage, vision problems, and stroke.

Many people don't know they have high blood pressure; it usually has no symptoms. The only way to know for sure is to have your blood pressure checked regularly.

The good news is that blood pressure can be controlled through such measures as reducing salt intake, losing weight, exercising regularly, stopping smoking, or taking prescribed medications. Your doctor can tell you which of these are appropriate for you and block the flow of blood through them. As your cholesterol level increases, so does your risk of heart disease and heart attack. Be sure to have your cholesterol level checked if you don't already know it.

The desirable total cholesterol level is below 200. But most people today also want to know their HDL and LDL cholesterol numbers, as these can help predict your risk for heart disease.

You can help control your cholesterol level by following a low-fat diet, exercising regularly, controlling your weight, and stopping smoking. Call us for more information on any of these topics or for a copy of our recommended low-fat diet plan.

Physical inactivity
Lack of regular exercise is now considered a major risk factor for heart attack. What better reason to get up and start moving?

Besides helping protect you from heart disease, physical activity offers you a host of other benefits. It can help you control your weight, cholesterol, blood pressure, diabetes, and stress level-to say nothing about improving your mental outlook.

You don't have to be a trained athlete to reap the benefits of exercise. For heart and lung fitness, you need at least 20 minutes three times a week of an aerobic activity such as walking, cycling, or swimming. If you can't handle that much yet, even modest amounts of light activity, such as gardening or housework, can be of benefit if done regularly and long-term.

Consult your doctor before you start an exercise program. And call us if we can help.

Contributing Factors You Can Control

Diabetes
Diabetes means that the body is unable to use glucose (sugar) properly. It occurs most often in middle age and in overweight people.

Besides being a risk factor for heart disease, diabetes increases the risk of kidney disease, blindness, nerve damage, and blood vessel damage.
If you have diabetes, be sure to follow your doctor's recommendations on diet, weight control, exercise, and medication.

Obesity
If your weight is more than 30% above what it should be, you have an increased risk for heart disease and stroke. Excess weight increases the strain on the heart, can raise blood pressure and blood cholesterol, and can lead to diabetes.

If you want to lose weight and keep it off for good, we recommend that you stop dieting! Instead, seriously consider making one small change at a time to help you develop a healthy eating and activity plan that will last you a lifetime. Call us for more information (see back page for number).

Stress
Stress is how we react, physically and emotionally, to change in our lives. Any change, good or bad, small or large, can cause stress.

A certain amount of stress is good for us-it keeps life from becoming dull and it can bring out the best in us. But too much stress over a long period of time can contribute to the development of health problems, including heart disease.

You cannot eliminate stress from your life. But if you feel you have too much stress, you can learn ways to manage it, such as how to problem-solve your response to stressful situations and how to help yourself relax and think more positively. Call us for more information.

If you have a risk factor, or two or three, and you want to make some changes, that's great. But keep in mind these words of advice:

Take it one change at a time
Even if you're excited with new plans, you don't have to tackle all your goals at once. No one can be expected to make two or more major lifestyle changes at the same time. A more realistic approach is ranking your risk factors' in order of how you want to work on them, then starting with your first choice-one small step at a time.

Set realistic small goals
Setting goals is a great way to keep yourself motivated. But be careful not to set goals that are so huge and far-reaching that you'll lose sight of them. For example, instead of ~I want to los 75 pounds in the next year," how about breaking that down and starting with " I want to lose 8 pounds in the next month." Then you can celebrate your success one month and set another goal.

Don't forget to make a plan
Is there anything more difficult than changing a lifelong habit? Unfortunately, many people expect themselves to change overnight just because they wish to. Permanent change involves information-gathering, planning, and plenty of practice. That's simply the best way to ensure your success.

What You Need to Know About Heart Attack

A heart attack means that part of the heart muscle has died from lack of oxygen and nutrients. A heart attack happens when blood flow inside the heart's arteries is blocked by fatty plaque. Now read on to learn the symptoms of a heart attack and what to do about them.

What does a heart affack feel like?
First, a heart attack does not always mean chest pain, as many people seem to think. In fact, there are a number of signs and symptoms that can indicate a heart attack.

Second, one person's symptoms may be completely different from those of another. There may be one or more of the following:

• Prolonged or intense pain, pressure, fullness, or squeezing in the chest

• Pain or discomfort that starts in or spreads to the neck, jaw, throat, shoulders, arms, or back

• Sweating

• Nausea or vomiting

• Shortness of breath

• Weakness or lightheadedness None of these symptoms should be taken lightly-by the person having them or by anyone with that person.
  

What should you do?
If you think you could be having a heart attack, get help right away. Don't try to ignore the symptoms or wait to see if they go away. There is never a reason to feel embarrassed, even if it turns out nothing is wrong.

The best thing to do is to call for emer gency medical help (911 or the rescue squad) and rest quietly until help arrives. Don't drive yourself to the hospital. And don't have someone else drive you unless they can get you there faster than an ambulance can get to you.

If you are with someone who you think may be having a heart attack, act quickly. Call 911 or the rescue squad, or take the person to an emergency room, whichever is quicker. Don't take no for an answer; insist on taking action.

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