According to health experts, the usual risk factors for heart attack are high blood pressure, uncontrolled diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, smoking, drug abuse, and lack of physical activity. These are the major reasons for causing coronary artery diseases at an early age.
In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Dr. Sharath Reddy Annam, Senior Consultant Interventional Cardiologist, Director of Cath Lab, Director of CTO and Complex Coronary interventions, TAVR and Structural Heart interventions at Medicover Hospitals, suggested, “To prevent heart attacks, especially in the early age group (40 years), we recommend at least one complete comprehensive metabolic profile check around 35 years of age which makes us understand to devise individual specific preventive strategies.”
Insisting that lifestyle changes constitute the mainstay of preventing early heart attacks, he advised, “Smoking is the most common reason for heart attack in early age groups, which needs to be quit completely. Alcohol, though some studies favored that controlled intake would reduce coronary artery disease, is not recommended in general as it has an adverse impact on many other organs. Lack of physical activity is contributing significantly to a heart attacks in young. Regular physical activity, at least ½ hour per day or 15 min twice a day for 5 days a week is well-studied in preventing heart disease. Therefore, that is the minimum exercise recommended for all individuals to prevent heart attacks at a young age.”
According to him, other modifiable risk factors like hypertension, diabetes, and high cholesterol can be diagnosed early by having regular yearly checkups and treating them adequately to achieve recommended goals of therapy. He recommended, “Follow-ups are paramount in bringing these metabolic abnormalities under recommended control, which are neglected by the majority of patients. Blood pressure medications are titrated in such a way as to bring it below 130/ 80 mmHg for patients having diabetes or renal issues and <140/90 mmHg for other patients. For diabetes titration of medicines is done to bring fasting sugars to < 140 mg/dl, post prandial sugar to < 180 to 200, and HBA1C < 6.5 or 7. In familial hypercholesterolemia, we initiate therapy when levels are more than 190 mg/dl to bring LDL levels to < 100mg/dl. However, patients who had heart attacks or underwent stenting or bypass treatment are stepped up till the LDL level drops below 70 or 50. Hence, periodic follow-ups are crucial to assess and titrate medication to achieve recommended clinical goals to reduce heart attacks efficiently.”
Eat a healthy, balanced diet
A low-fat, high-fiber diet is recommended, which should include plenty of fresh fruit and vegetables (5 portions a day) and whole grains.
You should limit the amount of salt you eat to no more than 6g (0.2oz) a day as too much salt will increase your blood pressure. 6g of salt is about 1 teaspoonful.
There are 2 types of fat: saturated and unsaturated. You should avoid food containing saturated fats because these will increase the levels of bad cholesterol in your blood.
Foods high in saturated fat include:
• meat pies
• sausages and fatty cuts of meat
• butter
• ghee – a type of butter often used in Indian cooking
• lard
• cream
• hard cheese
• cakes and biscuits
• foods that contain coconut or palm oil
However, a balanced diet should still include unsaturated fats, which have been shown to increase levels of good cholesterol and help reduce any blockage in your arteries.
Foods high in unsaturated fat include:
• oily fish
• avocados
• nuts and seeds
• sunflower, rapeseed, olive, and vegetable oils
You should also try to avoid too much sugar in your diet, as this can increase your chances of developing diabetes, which is proven to significantly increase your chances of developing CHD.
Read more about:
• healthy eating
• eating less saturated fat
• the facts about sugar
Be more physically active
Combining a healthy diet with regular exercise is the best way of maintaining a healthy weight. Having a healthy weight reduces your chances of developing high blood pressure.
Regular exercise will make your heart and blood circulatory system more efficient, lower your cholesterol level, and also keep your blood pressure at a healthy level.
Exercising regularly reduces your risk of having a heart attack. The heart is a muscle and, like any other muscle, benefits from exercise. A strong heart can pump more blood around your body with less effort.
Any aerobic exercise, such as walking, swimming, and dancing, makes your heart work harder and keeps it healthy.
Read more about fitness and exercise.
