Stay On Top Of Checkups And Medical Conditions
Managing your health is always important, but it’s more important than ever to stay on top of your health as a senior. Going to regular checkups, discussing any and all symptoms with the doctor, and staying on top of current issues is one of the best ways to prevent a heart attack. Your medical team is trained to look out for factors and symptoms that put seniors at risk for health problems, and the expertise they hold can alert seniors to possible problems before they become dangerous.
For seniors with medical conditions, taking medications, and/or receiving medical care, it is fundamental that these are managed properly. Managing conditions like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes can help decrease your risk of having heart problems. It is important to follow your medical team’s advice for treatment, as well as medications.
Who Should Not Take Aspirin
People who have certain health problems shouldnt take aspirin. These include people who:
- Have a stomach ulcer.
- Have recently had a stroke caused by bleeding in the brain.
- Are allergic to aspirin.
- Have asthma that is made worse by aspirin.
If you think you are having a stroke, do not take aspirin because not all strokes are caused by clots. Aspirin could make some strokes worse.
Gout can become worse or hard to treat for some people who take aspirin.
If you take some other blood thinner, talk with your doctor before taking aspirin, because taking both medicines can cause bleeding problems.
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When Do I Do If Someone Else Has A Heart Attack
An easy-to-use device called an AED is available in many public places and can be used by almost anyone to treat cardiac arrest. This device works by shocking the heart back into a normal rhythm.
Hereâs how to use an AED:
1. Check responsiveness
- For an adult or older child, shout and shake the person to confirm whether theyâre unconscious. Do not use AED on a conscious person.
- For an infant or young child, pinch their skin. Never shake a young child.
- Check breathing and pulse. If absent or uneven, prepare to use the AED as soon as possible.
2. Prepare to use AED
- Make sure the person is in a dry area and away from puddles or water.
- Check for body piercings or outline of an implanted medical device, such as a pacemaker or implantable defibrillator.
- AED pads must be placed at least 1 inch away from piercings or implanted devices.
3. Use AED
For newborns, infants, and children up to age 8, use a pediatric AED, if possible. If not, use an adult AED.
- Turn on the AED.
- Plug in connector, if necessary.
- Make sure no one is touching the person.
- Push the âAnalyzeâ button.
- If a shock is advised, check again to make sure no one is touching the person.
- Push the âShockâ button.
- Start or resume continue compressions.
- Follow AED prompts.
4. Continue CPR
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Whats The Difference Between A Heart Attack And A Cardiac Arrest
A heart attack is a sudden interruption to the blood supply to part of the heart muscle. Its likely to cause chest pain and permanent damage to the heart. The heart is still sending blood around the body, and the person remains conscious and is still breathing.
A cardiac arrest happens when the heart suddenly stops pumping blood around the body. Someone whos having a cardiac arrest will suddenly lose consciousness and will stop breathing or stop breathing normally. Unless immediately treated by cardiopulmonary resuscitation , this always leads to death within minutes.
A person having a heart attack is at high risk of experiencing a cardiac arrest.
Both a heart attack and a cardiac arrest are life-threatening medical emergencies and require immediate medical help.
How The Habits Ranked According To Heart Attack Protection
Quitting Smoking : Consistent with extensive previous research, quitting smoking is one of the top longevity-threatening habits you should abandon. In this Swedish trial, men who had either never smoked, or quit at least 20 years prior to the beginning of the study enjoyed a 36% lower chance of a first heart attack.
This jives with findings of many previous investigations including the Million Women Study in the UK, in which almost 1.2 million women were tracked over a 12-year period. That longitudinal research found that quitting by the age of 30 or 40 reaped an extra 11 years of life on average, thanks not only to fewer heart attacks but less cancer and respiratory disease as well.
Eating a Nutritious Diet : Again, no surprise that a healthy plant-based diet can help ward off a heart attack . The Swedish study characterized a healthy diet using the Recommended Food Score from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in the US, which is “strongly predictive of mortality” and includes the following:
- At least 5 servings of fresh vegetables and fruits each day
- 4 servings of whole grains
- 1 or more servings of reduced-fat dairy
- Weekly consumption of about two servings of healthy fish
Those subjects who followed these guidelines most closely had a 20% lower risk of a first heart attack, even if they also ate foods from the “non-recommended” list such as red and processed meat, refined cereals and sweets.
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Create Your Cayenne Pepper Extract
To make the cayenne pepper extract,
How Does Aspirin Benefit The Heart
- Prevents blood clots. Aspirin blocks factors in the blood that cause blood clots to form. Blood clots are good when they stop bleeding but harmful when they clog the arteries leading to the heart or brain and increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.
- Aspirin reduces the risk of future heart attack and ischemic stroke in people with a prior history of these conditions.
- Reduces the risk of death. When taken during a heart attack, aspirin greatly reduces heart damage and increases the chance of survival.
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Heart Disease Symptoms In Women
Heart disease is the leading cause of death among women, and heart attack symptoms and signs can be different for women than for men, for example:
- Chest tightness
Sometimes people having a heart attack experience no symptoms at all. The medical term for this is silent ischemia, commonly referred to as a silent heart attack.
If you think you are experiencing signs of a heart attack, call 911 immediately!
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Stay Active And Keep Moving
Seniors may not be able to be as physically active as they once were, but exercise and mobility are just as important as they ever were. The less you move, the more stagnant your blood and oxygen becomes- moving slower and slower through the body. Staying active can help promote good circulation, lower blood pressure, and decrease the risk of blood clots, heart attacks, and other cardiovascular problems. Even seniors with limited mobility should find ways to be active for at least 30 minutes, each day. A senior’s healthcare team can help determine appropriate activities that would be suitable and effective.
Staying active can also help seniors control weight another leading factor in cardiovascular complications. People who are overweight or obese can experience not only high blood pressure and an increased risk of diabetes, but also problems with mobility, circulation, arterial function, and more.
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Other Strategies To Help Prevent Heart Disease
Here are a few other things you can do to protect your heart:
Maintain a healthy weight
A body mass index above 30 puts you at risk of developing heart disease. Body fat distribution matters, too. That central adiposity, also known as a spare tire, increases your risk, notes Dr. Laffin. Those fat cells may lead to future cardiovascular disease and problems such as high blood pressure and blood sugar.
As your weight increases, your blood pressure rises. Excess weight can also put more strain on your heart, lead to blood vessel damage and other health conditions. Losing weight, even as little as 10 pounds, can help manage or prevent high blood pressure.
Manage blood pressure and cholesterol
Too much LDL cholesterol can cause plaque to build up in your arteries, pinching off the flow of blood to your heart or brain. Hypertension also increases the risk for heart disease. Its called the silent killer because many people dont know they have it, says Dr. Laffin.
While these conditions seem to be connected, both can be controlled. They need to be managed because if your arteries become hardened and narrow because of cholesterol plaque and calcium , the heart has to work even harder to pump blood through them. This makes your blood pressure higher. Diet, exercise, not smoking and taking prescribed medicines can all help.
Limit alcohol
Drinking alcohol can make some conditions even worse. These conditions include:
- Diabetes.
- Heart failure.
- Cardiomyopathy.
Reduce Stress
How Much Aspirin Should I Take
Always talk to your doctor about the benefits and risks of aspirin therapy before beginning a regular regimen.
A dose of 81 mg, or a baby aspirin is recommended as the daily dose to prevent future heart events. There are also lower and higher dose adult aspirin varieties available. Check with your doctor first to find out what dose is right for you.
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What Is A Cardiac Rehabilitation Program
Before you leave the hospital, your doctor may talk to you about a cardiac rehabilitation program. These programs provide information that will help you understand your risk factors. It will help you live a healthy lifestyle that can prevent future heart problems. You will learn about exercise and diet, and how to reach and maintain a healthy weight. You will also learn ways to control your stress level, your blood pressure, and your cholesterol levels.
Your cardiac rehabilitation program will probably start while you are still in the hospital. After you leave the hospital, your rehabilitation will continue in a rehab center. The rehab center may be at the hospital or in another location.
Most cardiac rehabilitation programs last 3 to 6 months. Your doctor will talk to you about how often you need to attend the program. Once you enroll in a cardiac rehabilitation program, regular attendance is important. The more lifestyle changes you make, the better your chances of preventing future heart problems.
The sooner you get medical help, the greater your chances of surviving a heart attack. Do not delay getting immediate medical attention if you are experiencing symptoms of heart attack.
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Make Sure You Maintain A Healthy Diet
The first of the tips to prevent a heart attack is to have a balanced diet. For that:
- Try to eliminate processed products and replace them with fresh food.
- Limit your consumption of sugar and any type of artificial sweetener as much as possible. If you want something sweet, choose fruit.
- Avoid consuming trans fats such as vegetable oils or margarine. Replace them with healthy fats such as avocado, coconut oil or unpasteurized butter.
- Keep your body hydrated by drinking plenty of water.
- Include in your diet, at least once a week, foods rich in omega 3, such as blue fish, or take a nutritional supplement that contains it.
- Eat foods rich in vitamins C, E and beta-carotenes . These nutrients help protect the arterial layer from oxidation.
- They neutralize free radicals, slow down the wear and tear of the heart, and prevent bad cholesterol from building up in the arteries.
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What Is A Heart Attack Symptoms Causes Diagnosis Treatment And Prevention
A heart attack, or myocardial infarction, occurs when there is a blockage in a coronary artery, affecting the flow of oxygen-rich blood to your heart.
Having a heart attack is a medical emergency. Blocked or reduced blood flow to your heart damages the heart muscle. If blood flow is not restored quickly, the heart muscle will begin to die, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
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How Does Aspirin Help Prevent Stroke
A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is blocked by a clot or bursts. When that happens, part of the brain cant get the blood and oxygen it needs, and it begins to die. This usually starts with atherosclerosis, a process in which deposits of fatty substances, cholesterol, cellular waste products, calcium and other substances build up in the inner lining of an artery. This buildup is called plaque.
Plaque usually affects large and medium-size arteries. Plaques can grow large enough to significantly reduce the bloods flow through an artery. But most of the damage occurs when a plaque becomes fragile and ruptures. Plaques that rupture cause blood clots that can block blood flow or break off and travel to another part of the body. This is called an embolism.Aspirin prevents platelets from clumping and forming clots.Certain patients will be prescribed aspirin combined with another anti-clotting agent. Learn more about antiplatelets and anticoagulants.
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What Does A Heart Attack Feel Like
Most classically, signs and symptoms of a heart attack can include:
- Chest pain that feels like pressure .
- Radiation of the pain to the neck, jaw, shoulder or back
- Pain is worse with walking or other exertion.
- Shortness of breath worse with walking or other exertion.
- Sweating .
Emergency room evaluation is recommended in anyone who experiences these classic symptoms. If it is determined in the hospital that these symptoms are not because of a heart attack , they could still represent warning signs for future heart problems.
To make sure that this isnt the case, additional testing may be recommended in people who are very high risk.
Add A Few Drops Under The Tongue
If you spot anyone experiencing the signs of a heart attack, add 5-10 drops of the cayenne pepper extract under the tongue.
This should temporarily relieve the persons symptoms until you can get them into the hospital for treatment.
In case the person is unconscious, just give them a single drop of the extract and perform CPR immediately until you revive the person or help arrives, whichever comes first.
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Gender Age And Cardiovascular Disease Risk
Generally, men have a higher risk than women of developing CVD in middle age. The risk rises as they get older.
However, the risk of developing CVD is an important issue for women, especially as they get older. It is not clear why women tend to get CVD at a later age than men, although it is likely that hormonal changes after menopause, combined with changes in their risk factors, play a role.
Despite your gender and age, you can reduce your risk of developing CVD if you follow a healthy lifestyle and take medicines as prescribed by your doctor.
What To Do If You See Someone Who Might Be Having A Heart Attack
If someone is unconscious and you think theyre having a heart attack, first call 911 or your local emergency number. Then check if the person is breathing and has a pulse. If the person isnt breathing or you dont find a pulse, only then should you begin CPR.
- If youre untrained in CPR, do hands-only CPR. That means push hard and fast on the persons chest about 100 to 120 compressions a minute.
- If youre trained in CPR and confident in your ability, start with 30 chest compressions before giving two rescue breaths.
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Rest In A Comfortable Position And Wait For The Ambulance To Arrive
Resting will relieve pressure on the heart as it tries to pump blood around the body.
This may involve sitting or lying down, depending on which feels more restful.
If someone is on their own when they think they are having a heart attack, they should call 911 right away and follow the advice of the call handler.
Diagnosis Of A Heart Attack
Tests to help diagnose a heart attack include:
- a blood test to measure levels of enzymes released into the blood when the heart muscle is damaged
- cardiac catheterisation a tube, or catheter, is threaded into the coronary arteries via a blood vessel in the groin. A special dye is then injected into the coronary artery. This outlines the artery while movie x-rays are taken. Narrowings and blockages within the artery are outlined by the dye
- electrocardiogram a reading of the hearts electrical impulses.
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Does Heart Disease Shorten Your Life
Without treatment, heart disease can shorten your life. However, staying on top of your health and putting together a treatment plan with your doctor can allow you to enjoy life for many years to come.
We can open vessels to relieve symptoms from coronary artery disease, notes Dr. Nissen. We can repair or replace diseased valves. When damage to the heart muscle causes your heart to fail, we can offer a mechanical assist device to help your heart pump more strongly or do a heart transplant.
These measures dont cure the disease, but they do allow you to recover and live a long, functional life.