How to Prevent a Heart Attack: 5 Things You Can Do

Heart attacks occur when blood flow to part of the heart muscle is severely limited or interrupted completely due to blockages in one or more coronary arteries, cutting off oxygen delivery to your organ and potentially leading to permanent damage. There are steps you can take to help lower your risk and help avoid heart attacks; in this article, we'll look at 5 strategies.

1) Suppress High Blood pressure by controlling high blood pressure

High blood pressure (also known as hypertension) is one of the primary risk factors for heart disease and attack. Elevated blood pressure strains your heart and blood vessels, making your organs vulnerable. Over time, this high pressure damages arteries making them more prone to narrowing and blockages.

Blood pressure can be considered elevated if it consistently reads at or above 120/80 mmHg, increasing the risk of heart attack and stroke significantly. Thus, it's crucial that we monitor our blood pressure regularly, taking steps if it becomes elevated in order to manage it effectively.

Below are a few strategies for lowering blood pressure:

Maintain a healthy weight. Excess weight strains the heart, so even dropping just 5-10 lbs could have an enormously positive impact.

- Be active regularly - aim for 150 minutes of moderate physical activity like brisk walking each week.

Follow a diet rich in vegetables, fruit, whole grains, lean proteins and healthy fats; while minimizing sodium consumption, sweets, saturated fat and processed food.

Limit alcohol intake. Women should consume no more than one beverage per day while men can consume two.

- Manage Stress. Chronic stress has an adverse impact on cardiovascular health, so make time to relax and practice stress-busting techniques like meditation.

- Take blood pressure medications exactly as directed, except on medical advice from your healthcare provider. Do not stop taking prescribed medication without first consulting him/her first.

Coordination between healthcare providers can go far toward protecting against heart attack and stroke.

2 To Maintain Balanced Cholesterol Levels

High cholesterol causes fatty deposits known as plaque to accumulate in the arteries, narrowing them and making them less flexible. If any piece breaks off and lodges itself against an artery wall, this could trigger blockages and possibly result in heart attacks.

Your total cholesterol should fall under 200 mg/dL and it is important to monitor HDL (good) and LDL ("bad") cholesterol as well as triglycerides levels; optimal levels help decrease heart disease risk.

Here are a few strategies for lowering cholesterol:

Increase foods with unsaturated fats such as avocado, nuts, seeds, olive oil and fatty fish for increased levels of unsaturated fatty acids.

- Avoid saturated and trans fats, as these increase LDL while decreasing HDL levels. Reduce red meats, processed meats, fried foods, baked goods etc. to maintain proper cholesterol levels.

Eat more fiber. Aim for 25-30 grams each day through vegetables, fruits, whole grains and beans; soluble fiber can help remove cholesterol.

Include cholesterol-reducing foods into your diet. Nuts, oats, fatty fish, berries, garlic, soy products, green tea and eggs can all help lower cholesterol levels.

If you are overweight and engaging in regular physical activity, weight loss should be prioritized to increase HDL (high density lipoprotein) levels. Exercising regularly also contributes to increasing HDL.

- Be sure to take cholesterol-reducing medications as directed by your physician. Statins, niacin, fibrates and bile acid sequestrants can all help lower LDL when diet and lifestyle adjustments alone aren't enough.

Undergoing cholesterol screenings at least every 4-6 years is advised beginning at age 20. Collaborate with your doctor in reaching optimal cholesterol levels.

3 Tobacco Control Is Key or Quit Smoking Today

Cigarette smoking greatly increases the risk of heart attack for nonsmokers exposed to secondhand smoke, including nonsmokers themselves. Chemicals in cigarettes damage and restrict blood vessels more likely to be filled with atherosclerotic plaque.

Smokers' risk of heart attack is two to four times higher than that of nonsmokers; however, quitting smoking can significantly decrease this risk quickly; within just one year smoke-free the risk is reduced in half and by 15 years it has almost returned back to that of people who never smoked at all.

Quitting smoking is one of the best ways to lower your risk of heart attack, here are some helpful tips:

Pick a date when you plan to stop smoking and set an intention of accomplishing your goal by that day. Remove all cigarettes from your home, car and workplace by then.

Tell your family, friends and loved ones of your plans to quit so that they can support and assist in your efforts. Additionally, try to avoid alcohol as triggers during this initial period.

Consult with your physician about nicotine replacement solutions such as patches, gum or medications to help control cravings and ease withdrawal symptoms.

Join a smoking cessation program or support group to increase your odds of success and make quitting easier.

Quitting smoking requires determination and perseverance; take one day at a time rather than looking too far ahead. With support and cessation aids at hand, quitting will significantly lower your risk of heart attack.

4 Manage Diabetes

Diabetes almost doubles your risk of cardiovascular disease and heart attack. Over time, high blood sugar levels damage blood vessels more easily leading to atherosclerotic plaque buildup. Diabetes often co-occurs with other risk factors like obesity, high cholesterol levels and hypertension.

If you have diabetes, optimizing blood sugar levels is the key to mitigating cardiovascular risks. Work closely with your healthcare team to keep the A1C (three month average blood sugar readings) below 7% while monitoring and optimizing other measurements like fasting and postprandial readings.

Here are a few strategies for diabetes management:

Keep a log of your blood sugar levels, which allows you to identify patterns and gauge the effectiveness of diet, physical activity and medications.

Follow your doctor's recommendations when it comes to diet. Choose foods rich in nutrients and low on the glycemic index; restrict sugary treats and refined carbohydrates as much as possible.

Stay physically active through cardio and weight training to increase insulin sensitivity and decrease blood sugar. Aim to get at least 150 minutes per week.

- Take oral medications and insulin as directed, without making changes without consulting your healthcare provider first.

- Don't smoke and try to limit exposure to secondhand smoke; smoking worsens insulin resistance and diabetic complications.

Get regular screenings to detect diabetes-related complications. Stay on top of any kidney, neuropathy, retinopathy or cardiovascular issues related to diabetes.

Controlling diabetes takes hard work and dedication on an everyday basis, but your efforts now to manage blood sugar and related health factors may help ward off future heart attacks.

5 Take Step to maintain an overall healthy lifestyle

Preventing a heart attack requires more than simply managing individual risk factors; for optimal cardiovascular health and prevention, you should address all aspects of your lifestyle habits - making healthier choices across every aspect can have a cumulative effect that adds up over time.

Here are a few strategies for living healthily:

- Engage in regular physical activity such as brisk walking to strengthen heart muscle and promote blood flow health. Aim for 150 minutes each week of moderate aerobic exercise such as this! This can strengthen the heart muscle while supporting healthy circulation.

Eat a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, lean proteins, whole grains, legumes and nuts along with healthy fats like olive oil; while minimizing processed junk foods.

Maintain a healthy weight. Excess weight strains the heart, so consult your physician on an effective weight-loss program if overweight.

Prioritize sleep. Aim for at least seven to nine hours every night for optimal health; poor rest can increase risk for cardiovascular disease.

- Effectively manage stress. Chronic anxiety contributes to high blood pressure. Take the time to relax and practice stress-reducing activities to make the most of every moment in life.

Drink alcohol responsibly; women should limit themselves to no more than one drink daily and two or more for men; excessive drinking increases your risk of high blood pressure and cardiomyopathy.

Stay socially engaged. Strong social ties have been linked to lower rates of cardiovascular disease. Set aside time for your loved ones.

Engaging in healthy behaviors across your entire life provides the best defense against heart attack. Consult your physician about lifestyle modifications to improve cardiovascular health and to optimize it.

Though your family history plays a part, much of your heart attack risk lies within your control. By making lifestyle changes and working with your doctor to manage risk factors, you can substantially decrease the odds of having one. Focus on controlling high blood pressure, reducing cholesterol, maintaining normal blood sugar, eliminating smoking and developing healthy habits; with diligence and commitment prevention is possible and your heart will thank you.