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How To Avoid Strokes And Heart Attacks

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How To Avoid Blood Clots Strokes And Heart Attacks

How to Prevent a Million Heart Attacks and Strokes

It’s safe to say that all of you want to know how to avoid blood clots, strokes, and heart attacks. These are some of the most life-threatening health problems there are. If you want to live a healthy and long life, you should try your best to avoid them.

The problem is, there are many misconceptions out there on what causes blood clots. If you can, write down what you think is the main risk factor of clots. What should you avoid? Is it a food or activity ? Write down what you think it is. I think you’ll be shocked at the end to find what the actual problem isand it’s most likely not what you wrote down.

In this article:

Slow Progress In Cardiovascular Disease Is Holding Our Societies Back

Remember when life expectancy kept going up? How inevitable the march of societal progress in health then seemed. Yet after years of consistent growth, the uncomfortable truth is that the trend of increasing life expectancy is slowing across Europe, and in some cases even halting. COVID-19 has played its part, but it is not the sole reason the trend pre-dates 2020. One of the major causes of this slowdown is the growing prevalence of cardiovascular disease, which includes Europes biggest killers: heart attack and stroke.

You Can Reverse Most Diabetes Prediabetes And Insulin Resistance

Really. The CDC, ADA, and many professional bodies say that diabetes, prediabetes, insulin resistance may be chronic but reversible.

If you read The Obesity Code, the books author Jason Fung talked about patients that were overweight and were able to reverse their diabetes.

For those of us whose insulin resistance is caused by too much weight, the simplest thing to do is to shed some weight. In fact, even losing a few pounds can already go a long way.

Indeed, it is possible to reverse diabetes, prediabetes, insulin resistance. Ive reversed mine. Many of my patients were also successful.

But I didnt say things would be easy. Its just going to take some work.

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Medicines To Prevent Heart Attack And Stroke: Questions For The Doctor

Statins are medicines that reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke by helping to lower the amount of cholesterol and other fats in the blood.

Experts recommend that if youve never had a heart attack or stroke, you take a statin if all 3 of these statements are true:

  • Youre age 40 to 75
  • You have high cholesterol, diabetes, high blood pressure, or you smoke
  • Your doctor has decided that you are at higher risk for heart attack and stroke

Statins arent right for everyone, and all medicines have pros and cons. When you talk with your doctor about taking a statin, its important to discuss your personal preferences as well as your risk for heart attack and stroke.

Here Are A Few Simple Things That You Can Do To Prevent Your Heart From Getting A Blockage

Even a Little Weight exercises can Prevent a Heart Attack, Stroke ...

Written by Debjani Arora | Updated : February 24, 2015 7:10 PM IST

Clogged arteries or atherosclerosis is one of the prime reasons for heart attack in many. While sedentary lifestyle, bad eating habits and lack of physical activity are often blamed for this condition, a lot can be done to reverse the outcome of these habits. Here are a few things that you can do to prevent blockage in your heart.

#1 Quit smoking: Smoking has always been linked to heart diseases. There are some 4,000 odd chemicals that are inhaled into the system when you smoke and they do no good to health. In fact, these chemicals constrict the arteries of the heart which leads to clogging. Secondhand smoke is equally dangerous and increases one s chances of blockage. Apart from this, environmental pollution is also responsible. The toxics inhaled from the environment are absorbed into the blood, causing inflammation in blood vessels, increased blood pressure, and clogged arteries. Here are 10 more reasons why smoking is bad for you.

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Watch For The Symptoms Of A Stroke Or Heart Attack

Three dangerous symptoms to watch out for are shortness of breath, chest pain, and numbness/tingling So forget about waiting for these symptoms to go away. Go and get them checked out.

Try to make sure that youre scheduling a comprehensive physical examination at least once per year. As we age, different health variables must be taken into account. Males and females have different health needs as well. A good doctor will know this when you visit for an examination.

How Can I Avoid Heart Disease Or Stroke

Date:
European Society of Cardiology
Summary:
As much as 90% of the risk of a heart attack, stroke, or peripheral arterial disease can be explained by smoking, poor eating habits, lack of physical activity, abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, raised blood lipid levels, diabetes, psychosocial factors, or alcohol. These guidelines focus on atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease , which affects the arteries. As the inside of the arteries become clogged up by fatty deposits, they can no longer supply enough blood to the body. This process is the main cause of heart attacks, strokes, PAD and sudden death where arteries become completely blocked. The most important way to prevent these conditions is to adopt a healthy lifestyle throughout life, especially not smoking, and to treat risk factors.

The European Society of Cardiology Guidelines on cardiovascular disease prevention in clinical practice are published online today in European Heart Journal.

Recommendations are provided for healthy adults of all ages, as well as patients with established CVD or diabetes. Identifying who will benefit most from preventive treatments, such as blood pressure and lipid lowering therapies, is central to prevention efforts and therefore the estimation of CVD risk is the cornerstone of the guidelines.

Story Source:

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Million Hearts: Everyone Can Make Small Changes That Matter

The solution to this crisis is already in front of us. Small changes sustained over time will result in big improvements to the heart health of our nation. Everyone can take action.

Million Hearts® is working with more than 120 partners, all 50 states and the District of Columbia, and 20 federal agencies to:

Keep people healthy by making changes to environments in which people live, learn, work, and play to make it easier to make healthy choices.

HOW: Achieve a 20% reduction in sodium intake, tobacco use, and physical inactivity.

Communities making physical activity easier by creating walking and biking trails.

People adding 10 minutes of physical activity a daylike walking or gardening.

Optimize care so that those at risk for cardiovascular disease get services and skills needed to reduce the risk of having a heart attack or stroke.

  • HOW: Achieve 80% performance in the ABCS, and 70% participation in cardiac rehabilitation.
  • Insurers providing coverage for home blood pressure monitors.
  • Clinicians using a standard treatment protocol for high blood pressure, cholesterol management, and tobacco cessation.

Improve outcomes for priority populations who suffer more from cardiovascular disease and where we know we can make an impact.

  • HOW: Employers providing places and time for employees to walk during the workday.
  • Behavioral health providers receiving training in smoking cessation and using it in their practice.

Weve already begun.

Keeping People Healthy.

Optimizing Care.

The Reality Check: Gaps In Prevention And Care And People Left At Risk

How do statins prevent heart attacks and strokes?

In reality, if you had a heart attack or stroke today, the odds of receiving the care needed to avoid a second one are not good. Prevention should be initiated immediately in hospital, but this doesnt routinely happen. When discharged, fewer than half of heart attack patients are referred to crucial preventive cardiac rehabilitation programmes, and lifestyle management programmes post-stroke are only available in half of European countries.

What does this mean for the heart attack or stroke survivor? It means that they dont get effective help to give up smoking, exercise more or lose weight , nor are they supported to fully understand and engage in their medical treatment, rehabilitation or follow-up care, leaving them ultimately at risk of another debilitating and possibly fatal event.

Governments have the care models to improve secondary prevention in cardiovascular disease, but analysis has shown that policies lag behind most other non-communicable diseases in European countries.

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Score Your Stroke Risk For The Next 10 Years

Key: SBP = systolic blood pressure Diabetes = history of diabetes Cigarettes = smokes cigarettes CVD = history of heart disease AF = history of atrial fibrillation LVH = diagnosis of left ventricular hypertrophy

Points
15 points

Interpretation:15 points carries a 16 percent, 10-year probability of having a stroke. If Martha quits smoking she can reduce her points to 12, which carries a 9 percent, 10-year probability of having a stroke.

Her current point total does not mean Martha will have a stroke, but serves as a wake-up call to ways she can lower her risk or even prevent a stroke. A lower percent score doesnt mean that Martha wont have a stroke, only that she is at a lower risk of having one.

No matter what your score is, it is important to work on reducing your risk factors as Martha did in this example by quitting smoking.

Source: DAgostino, R.B. Wolf, P.A. Belanger, A.J. & Kannel, W.B. Stroke Risk Profile: The Framingham Study. Stroke, Vol. 25, No. 1, pp. 40-43, January 1994.

Many risk factors for stroke can be managed, some very successfully. Although risk is never zero at any age, by starting early and controlling your risk factors you can lower your risk of death or disability from stroke. With good control, the risk of stroke in most age groups can be kept below that for accidental injury or death.

Am I At Risk For Stroke

The number one risk factor for stroke is high blood pressure. High blood pressure has no signs or symptoms, so its important to get your blood pressure checked regularly.

Ask your doctor how often you need to get your blood pressure checked. You can also ask whether measuring your blood pressure at home is right for you.

Other risk factors for stroke include:

  • An irregular heartbeat
  • High cholesterol

You are at higher risk of having a stroke as you get older. You may also be more at risk if someone in your family has had a stroke. Make sure you know your familys medical history and share it with your doctor.

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Stay Away From Smoking

You double your risk of a stroke if you use tobacco. Nicotine in cigarettes raises blood pressure, and carbon monoxide in smoke lowers the amount of oxygen your blood can carry. Even breathing secondhand smoke can raise your chances of a stroke.

Tobacco can also:

  • Raise your levels of a blood fat called triglycerides
  • Lower your levels of âgoodâ HDL cholesterol
  • Make your blood sticky and more likely to clot
  • Make plaque buildup more likely
  • Thicken and narrow blood vessels and damage their linings

Talk to your doctor about ways to quit smoking. Nicotine patches and counseling can help. Donât give up if you donât succeed the first time.

Get Regular Physical Activity

Heart Attack Stroke Warning Signs

Physical activity can help you stay at a healthy weight and lower your cholesterol and blood pressure levels. For adults, the surgeon general recommends 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity, such as a brisk walk, each week. Children and teens should get 1 hour of physical activity every day.

For more information, see CDCs Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity website.

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Obesity Unhealthy Diet And Physical Inactivity

Compared to those at a normal weight, people with overweight or obesity are at increased risk of heart disease and stroke and their risk factors, including high blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol, low HDL cholesterol, high triglycerides, and type 2 diabetes. In the United States, nearly 74% of adults have overweight or obesity.

A healthy diet can reduce a persons chances of getting heart disease. A healthy diet emphasizes fruits and vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy products and lean proteins and limits saturated and trans fat, added sugars, and sodium.

Physical inactivity can also lead to heart diseaseeven for people who have no other risk factors. It can increase the chance of other risk factors, including obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes. Only 24% of adults and 16.5% of high school students meet the guidelines for aerobic and muscle-strengthening activity.

CDCs Response

CDCs Division of Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity develops and shares proven approaches that make healthy living easier for everyone, which can help people reduce their risk of heart disease and stroke. For example, the division works with hospitals to support breastfeeding moms, early care and education centers to promote healthy eating standards, and workplaces to change policies so that employees have more healthy food choices.

How Can You Reduce Your Risk

You can use healthy lifestyle changes and medicines to reduce your risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. You can also balance the risks and benefits of birth control pills and hormone replacement therapy when you decide whether or not to use them.

Heart-healthy lifestyle

A heart-healthy lifestyle can help reduce your risk of heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. And it can help you manage other problems that raise your risk. These problems include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes.

Heart-healthy habits include not smoking, eating heart-healthy foods, exercising regularly, and staying at a healthy weight.

Medicines

You might take medicines, along with making healthy lifestyle changes, to lower your risk. These medicines include:

  • Diabetes medicine.
  • Cholesterol medicine.
  • Aspirin. Your doctor may suggest that you take a daily, low-dose aspirin if the benefits of aspirin to prevent a stroke are greater than the risk of stomach bleeding from taking daily aspirin. But the daily use of low-dose aspirin in healthy women who are at low risk of stroke is not recommended.footnote 3
  • An anticoagulant, also called a blood thinner, to lower your risk of stroke if you have atrial fibrillation.

Birth control and hormone therapy

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Avoid A Heart Attack Or Stroke: 8 Habits To Never Ignore

Knowing the early signs of a heart attack or stroke can change your life. Literally.

Of the 54 million deaths worldwide in 2015, more than half were due to the top 10 causes. Heart attack and stroke are the , accounting for a combined 15 million deaths in 2015. These diseases have remained the leading causes of death globally in the last 15 years. The World Health Organization

Ischemic heart disease is a condition wherein narrowed arteries cause less blood oxygen to be delivered to the heart. Also known as coronary artery disease and coronary heart disease, ischemia to the heart can lead to a heart attack.

A stroke occurs when blood oxygen is cut off to one or various parts of the brain. Cells are deprived of oxygen and begin to die. This results in the loss of function controlled by the area of the brain affected. Over 6 million people die of stroke every year, and an addition 5 million are permanently disabled.

Either condition can be caused by genetic predispositions and/or lifestyle choices. The former is an uncontrollable variable the latter isnt.

In this article, we discuss eight healthy habits that lower the risk of both heart attack and stroke. Even small changes can disproportionately tilt the odds in your favor.

Lets get to it!

Drink Alcohol In Moderation

Does aspirin help prevent stroke and heart attacks? – Mayo Clinic Radio

A moderate amount of alcohol consumption can help your heart. Per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , moderate alcohol consumption is 1 drink per day for women and 2 for men.

Excessive drinking can lead to a number of health problems. You also raise the risk of acquiring hypertension, heart disease, and stroke.

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Avoid A Heart Attack Or Stroke: 10 Foods To Never Ignore

Avoiding a heart attack or a stroke can be as easy as knowing what foods to eat. Nutritionists and doctors have been compiling the most heart healthy foods that anyone can eat. Its not too early to start eating foods that will help you take care of your heart. If youre getting older, its also very important to make sure youre eating the right kind of foods to make sure your heart stays strong.

According to recent research by the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, the future health of the global population largely depends on a shift to healthier dietary patterns. Taking care of our hearts and avoiding a heart attack or stroke is as easy as looking for the right foods to eat.

You cant afford to get sick, and you cant depend on the present health care system to keep you well. Its up to you to protect and maintain your bodys innate capacity for health and healing by making the right choices in how you live. Andrew Weil

Check Your Fasting Glucose Blood Pressure Cholesterol And Bmi

Know the following health measures and work together with your health care provider to prevent heart disease and stroke:

  • Fasting glucose: This test measures the amount of sugar in your blood after you havent eaten for at least 8 hours. Your fasting glucose should be less than 100 mg/dl.
  • Blood pressure: A healthy blood pressure is about 120/80.
  • Cholesterol: There are several measures of cholesterol that are important in determining cardiovascular disease risk. Your high density lipoprotein cholesterol should be greater than 50 mg/dl. Low density lipoprotein cholesterol should be less than 100 mg/dl. Triglycerides should be less than 150 mg/dl.
  • Body mass index : This is a measure of the relationship between your height and your weight. If your weight is too much for your height, you may have excess body fat. This can cause high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke. Your BMI should be between 18.5 and 24.0. Use this BMI Calculator to find out your BMI.

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