High Total Cholesterol Doubles The Risk Of Heart Disease
People with high total cholesterol levels have approximately twice the risk of heart disease. Thus, theres an increased heart attack possibility percentage. Thats why one should try their best to manage cholesterol levelslimit alcohol intake, exercise for at least 30 minutes, avoid saturated fat, and quit smoking.
What Can I Do To Prevent Heart Disease
There are many steps you can take to keep your heart healthy.
Try to be more physically active.Talk with your doctor about the type of activities that would be best for you. If possible, aim to get at least 150 minutes of physical activity each week. Every day is best. It doesn’t have to be done all at once.
Start by doing activities you enjoyâbrisk walking, dancing, bowling, bicycling, or gardening, for example. Avoid spending hours every day sitting.
If you smoke, quit.Smoking is the leading cause of preventable death. Smoking adds to the damage to artery walls. It’s never too late to get some benefit from quitting smoking. Quitting, even in later life, can lower your risk of heart disease, stroke, and cancer over time.
Follow a heart-healthy diet. Choose foods that are low in trans and saturated fats, added sugars, and salt. As we get older, we become more sensitive to salt, which can cause swelling in the legs and feet. Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and foods high in fiber, like those made from whole grains. Get more information on healthy eating from NIA. You also can find information on the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension eating plan and the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Patterns.
Keep your diabetes, high blood pressure, and/or high cholesterol under control. Follow your doctor’s advice to manage these conditions, and take medications as directed.
How Can I Lower My Cholesterol
You can lower your cholesterol by taking these steps:
Maintain a healthy weight. If you are overweight, losing weight can help lower your total cholesterol and LDL levels. Calculate your Body Mass Index to see if you are at a healthy weight. If not, try making small changes like eating an apple instead of potato chips, taking the stairs instead of the elevator, or parking farther away from the entrance to your office, the grocery store, or the mall.
Eat better. Eat foods low in saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterol.
Eat more:
- Fish, poultry , and lean meats . Broil, bake, roast, or poach foods. Remove the fat and skin before eating.
- Skim or low-fat milk and cheeses, and low-fat or nonfat yogurt
- Fruits and vegetables
- Cereals, breads, rice, and pasta made from whole grains
Eat less:
Get moving.Exercise can help lower LDL and raise HDL . Exercise at a moderate intensity for at least 2 hours and 30 minutes each week, or get 1 hour and 15 minutes of vigorous intensity physical activity each week.
- Take your medicine. If your doctor has prescribed medicine to lower your cholesterol, take it exactly as you have been told to.
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Know Your Familys Health History
Your family history doesnt explicitly mean youll suffer the same cardiac conditions as other family members, but it does increase your chances of heart disease and strokes. Find out if anyone in your familyparents, brothers, sisters or grandparentshas suffered any cardiovascular problems. After learning your familys health history, bring it to your doctor to discuss lifestyle choices or concerns you may have. Establishing a positive relationship with your doctor around your familys health will allow them to help you plan your hearts future accordingly.
Does Taking Birth Control Pills Increase My Risk For Heart Disease
Taking birth control pills is generally safe for young, healthy women if they do not smoke. But birth control pills can pose heart disease risks for some women, especially women older than 35; women with high blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol; and women who smoke. Talk with your doctor if you have questions about the pill.
If you’re taking birth control pills, watch for signs of trouble, including:
- Eye problems such as blurred ordouble vision
- Pain in the upper body or arm
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What A Mild Heart Attack Means
A mild heart attack is a common way of referring to what physicians call a non-ST elevation myocardial infarction, or NSTEMI. .
In this type of heart attack, blood flow through one of the coronary arteries was partially blocked, limiting the supply of oxygenated blood to the heart muscle.
If you were told youve had a mild heart attack, it probably means your heart didnt suffer much damage and still pumps normally, Dr. Campbell says.
Around 12% Of People Who Have A Heart Attack Die From It
An actual heart attack denotes the end of a process that has already been going on for several hours. The latest data on heart attack death rate uncovers that 12% of people who have a heart attack die from it. So that means that you have a much greater chance to survive a heart attack than die from it, which is, at last, some reassuring information.
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How To Recognize The Signs Of A Heart Attack And What To Do
It is important to recognize the signs of a heart attack, which can vary by person. Sometimes a person may have a heart attack without realizing it and not seek the emergency medical care they need. That could lead to lasting heart damage.
The medical name for a heart attack is a myocardial infarction .
A heart attack usually happens because a coronary artery becomes blocked, reducing or stopping the nourishing blood supply to the heart muscle.
Chest pain is the most recognized sign of a heart attack, but the symptoms someone experiences can depend on their gender and age.
It is essential to identify a heart attack as early as possible and seek prompt medical attention. Treatment can minimize damage and increase the chances of a full recovery.
This article looks at the various symptoms of heart attacks, how these may vary in females and older adults, and when to seek medical attention. It also looks at risk factors, treatment, and prevention.
Most people know that chest pain is a typical heart attack symptom. However, a heart attack can affect the entire body, not just the heart.
Individuals of different ages and sexes may experiences heart attack symptoms differently.
Most heart attacks do have several defining symptoms, which according to the , are:
When Chest Pains Are Serious
Unlike an achy knee or crabby lower back, chest pain isn’t something to shrug off until tomorrow. It also isn’t something to diagnose at home. Don’t play doctor go see one, fast, if you are worried about pain or discomfort in your chest, upper back, left arm, or jaw; or suddenly faint or develop a cold sweat, nausea, or vomiting. Call 911 or your local emergency number to summon an emergency medical crew. It will whisk you to the hospital in a vehicle full of equipment that can start the diagnosis and keep you stable if your heart really is in trouble.
There are oh-so-many reasons to delay calling for help.
- I’m too young .
- I’m in great shape .
- I have a family to take care of .
- I don’t want to bother anyone .
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Overweight And Obesity Are Key Players In Heart Attacks
Being overweight has a significant influence on your risk of having a heart attack for several reasons. For starters, carrying extra weight places a high demand on your heart. Obesity alone makes you more likely to have a heart attack even if youre otherwise healthy.
However, patients who are overweight and obese often have other health conditions that detract from their heart health, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol.;
Q: I Recently Had A Heart Attack But A Cardiac Catheterization Found No Blocked Arteries Is This Possible
A: Yes, this type of heart attack is called a myocardial infarction in the absence of obstructive coronary artery disease, or MINOCA. It accounts for 5 to 6% of heart attacks.
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Compared with other types of heart attacks, patients are usually younger and more likely to be female.
Causes of MINOCA include:
- Minor plaque build-up is disturbed leading to temporary clotting in your coronary artery.
- Short-lived spasm of a large coronary artery.
- Narrowing of the small blood vessels that branch off the coronary arteries, called microvessel disease or microvascular coronary disease.
- A spontaneous tear or dissection of the coronary artery.
- A blood clot or embolism in a coronary artery.
MINOCA is diagnosed based on abnormalities in blood enzymes that show damage to the hearts muscle. A catherization will show no evidence of obstruction and confirm that no artery is blocked 50% or more. Other imaging tests will identify a limited area of heart muscle injury.
Cardiac MRI or direct imaging of the interior of your coronary artery may be helpful if the diagnosis is unclear.
You should be evaluated for an increased tendency to form blood clots. Its important to rule out other causes that may masquerade as a heart attack.
The likely course of your disease depends on its underlying cause and treatment strategy.
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Sometimes My Heart Beats Really Fast And Other Times It Feels Like My Heart Skips A Beat Am I Having A Heart Attack
Most people have changes in their heartbeat from time to time. These changes in heartbeat are, for most people, harmless. As you get older, you’re more likely to have heartbeats that feel different. Don’t panic if you have a few flutters or if your heart races once in a while. If you have flutters and other symptoms such as dizziness or shortness of breath , call 911.
What Makes You Worry That Chest Pain Is Serious Like A Heart Attack
When is chest pain serious? That dull burning feeling in your chest doesn’t seem to be going away, and even feels like it is getting worse. Is it a heart attack, or;?
It’s a vexing question, one that millions of people and their doctors face each year. What’s the problem? Chest pain can stem from dozens of conditions besides , from pancreatitis to pneumonia or panic attack.
Millions of Americans with chest pain are seen in hospital emergency departments every year. Only 20% of them are diagnosed with a heart attack or an episode of unstable , a warning sign that a heart attack may happen soon. A few have another potentially life-threatening problem, such as pulmonary embolism or aortic dissection . Some are experiencing “regular” angina, which occurs when part of the heart isn’t getting as much oxygen-rich blood as it needs during periods of physical exertion or emotional stress. Most of them, though, had a condition unrelated to the heart or arteries.
The other tricky problem with heart attacks is that different people experience them in different ways. Some have classic chest pain. Others have jaw pain or back pain. Still others become breathless, or extremely fatigued, or nauseated.
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Questions To Ask Your Doctor
Ask your doctor questions to learn more about your risk for heart disease and what to do about it. Learn what you can do if you are at increased risk or already have a heart problem.
To learn more about making heart-healthy lifestyle changes, visit the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.
When To See A Cardiologist
Typical chest wall pain is not treated with medications, although chest wall injuries and inflammation can respond to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications, such as ibuprofen. Otherwise, treatment for the chest pain will be dependent upon the underlying cause of the pain.
Sometimes, a cold or persistent cough can cause soreness and pain in the chest area. Some children will describe acid reflux as chest pain. Stress or anxiety may also bring on a feeling of chest pain.
Heart conditions that can cause chest pain in a child include:
- Pericarditis: an inflammation of the sac that surrounds the heart
- Myocarditis: a viral infection of the heart
- Arrhythmias: abnormal fast heart rhythms
- A blockage or other problems with the coronary arteries
- Dissection, or tearing, of the aorta, the main artery that directs blood from the heart out to the body
If your child complains of chest pain, and also has a fever, is sweating or having trouble breathing, has a very rapid heart rate, is pale, or has severe pain like a ripping sensation, do not wait get help immediately! Also, if there is a family history of aortic dissection, or tearing of the aorta, or of Marfan syndrome, an emergency evaluation is immediately needed.
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Recovering From A Heart Attack
The time it takes to recover from a heart attack will depend on the amount of damage to your heart muscle.
Most people can return to work after having a heart attack. Some people are well enough to return to work after 2 weeks. Other people may take several months to recover. How quickly you can go back to work depends on your health, the state of your heart and the type of work you do.
The recovery process aims to:
- reduce your risk of another heart attack through a combination of lifestyle changes , and medicines , which help to lower blood cholesterol levels
- gradually restore your physical fitness so you can resume normal activities
Heart Attacks Striking Younger Women
Younger women are having more heart attacks, says a recent study.Researchers were surprised to find that while the heart attack rate hasdecreased among older adults, it’s risen among those ages 35-54, especiallywomen. TheAtherosclerosis Risk in Communities studyreviewed more than 28,000 hospitalizations for heart attacks in fourcities.
“This observational study found a trend in young women,” saysVirginia Colliver, M.D., cardiologist withJohns Hopkins Community Physicians-Heart Carein Bethesda, Maryland. “But the research doesn’t provide insight into whythe uptick in heart attacks is happening to younger people. I suspect ithas to do with more people having risk factors for heart disease at anearlier age.”
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A Frequent Cause Of Heart Attacks In Young Women
If youre a thin, young, non-smoker who exercises regularly, what would you do if you experienced chest pain, nausea and extreme sweating?
No one is too young or too healthy to experience a heart attack. While women are more likely to suffer a heart attack after age 55, it can happen at any age.
One condition, spontaneous coronary artery dissection, , causes a small percentage of heart attacks overall, but is responsible for 40 percent of heart attacks in women younger than age 50, according to research from the American Heart Association . The average SCAD patient is just 42 years old.
You Feel Dizzy Or Lightheaded
A lot of things can make you lose your balance or feel faint for a moment. Maybe you didnât have enough to eat or drink, or you stood up too fast.
But if you suddenly feel unsteady and you also have chest discomfort or shortness of breath, call a doctor right away.
“It could mean your blood pressure has dropped because your heart isn’t able to pump the way it should,” Bufalino says.
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What Do You Do If You Have A Heart Attack
If you have any of the listed symptoms:
- tell someone and ask them to get help right away
The faster you get help, the better your chances of surviving a heart attack. Half of heart attack deaths happen within 2 hours of the first signs.
On average, Canadians wait almost 5 hours before getting medical help. Many people find it hard to believe that they are having a heart attack. They convince themselves that the symptoms are something else and that they will go away.
Not getting help for your symptoms could lead to death. New therapies and drugs can reduce damage and save your life if treatment begins soon enough. Your health care provider will work with you to determine treatment and recovery needs.
If you have suffered a heart attack, having important health information close by can help medical staff treat you. Carry personal health information with you at all times and have it posted by your phone. You may not be able to tell medical staff this information yourself, depending on your condition.
Your list should include:
- telephone and health care number
- medical history
- current medications
- health care provider
- health insurance number for expenses that are not covered under provincial health insurance plans, such as:
- ambulance services
Do Hormones Affect Your Risk Of A Heart Attack
Many women use prescription hormone drugs for birth control or for reducingsymptoms of menopause . Could thesedrugs jeopardize your heart health?
“Birth control pills can increase your risk of having a blood clot, eitherin the heart or in the legs, and they can also raise your blood pressure.So, if you have a history of high blood pressure or clotting problems,other types of contraception might be a better fit for you,” says Colliver.”But for most young women, it’s safe to take birth control medication.”
Colliver notes that women over the age of 50 are at an increased risk forheart disease and should completely avoid estrogen and progesterone drugs,if possible. “If your overall risk of heart attack is extremely low and youdesperately need relief from hot flashes and other postmenopausal symptoms,then hormone replacement therapy may be fine for you,” says Colliver. “Butafter the age of 65, we really try to avoid using them at all because theydo increase the risk of heart disease and potentially breast cancer.”
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