How can I prevent a heart attack?
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Dr. Mehmet Oz answered:The best protection against coronary artery disease is to prevent it from happening in the first place. Poor diet, lack of exercise and years of bad lifestyle habits take their toll on the heart. Still heart disease can be prevented if you are willing to stop the assault and adopt a healthy lifestyle from this day forward.
Here is Dr. Oz's advice for preventing heart attacks:- Learn your risk
- If you smoke, stop
- Perform moderate exercise for at least 20 minutes on most days
- Eat a heart-healthy diet low in saturated fat and high in fruits, vegetables nuts and legumes
- Maintain a healthy weight and waist
- Control high blood pressure
- Manage abnormal cholesterol
- Control high blood sugar
- Drink alcohol in moderation
- Practice stress reduction techniques
- Maintain a good balance between personal and professional life
- Be vigilant about taking medications to control risk factors
- Take one aspirin daily if you are in a high risk category
The best protection against coronary artery disease is to prevent it from happening in the first place. Poor diet, lack of exercise and years of bad lifestyle habits take their toll on the heart. Still heart disease can be prevented if you... More -
A heart attack can be prevented with a healthy lifestyle. Maintaining a diet that includes ample fruits and vegetables will encourage healthy cholesterol levels. Limit your salt intake to reduce high blood pressure. Lose weight, lower high blood pressure, and manage stress by getting regular exercise. Avoid all smoke by not smoking yourself and staying away from second-hand smoke. If you think you may be at risk for a heart attack, see your doctor regularly.A heart attack can be prevented with a healthy lifestyle. Maintaining a diet that includes ample fruits and vegetables will encourage healthy cholesterol levels. Limit your salt intake to reduce high blood pressure. Lose weight, lower high blood... More
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Johns Hopkins Medicine answered:You can help prevent a heart attack by knowing your risk factors for coronary artery disease and heart attack and taking action to lower those risks. Even if you've already had a heart attack or are told that your chances of having a heart attack are high, you can still lower your risk, most likely by making a few lifestyle changes that promote better health.
Don't smoke. Your doctor may recommend methods for quitting, including nicotine replacement.
Eat a diet low in fat, cholesterol and salt.
See your doctor regularly for blood pressure and cholesterol monitoring.
Pursue a program of moderate, regular aerobic exercise. People over age 50 who have led a sedentary lifestyle should check with a doctor before beginning an exercise program.
Lose weight if you are overweight.
Your doctor may advise you to take a low dose of aspirin regularly. Aspirin reduces the tendency for the blood to clot, thereby decreasing the risk of heart attack. However, such a regimen should only be initiated under a doctor's expressed recommendation.
Women at or approaching menopause should discuss the possible cardio-protective benefits of estrogen replacement therapy with their doctor.You can help prevent a heart attack by knowing your risk factors for coronary artery disease and heart attack and taking action to lower those risks. Even if you've already had a heart attack or are told that your chances of having a heart attack... More -
American Heart Association answered:Even if you have heart disease, there’s a lot you can do to improve your heart’s health.
Ask your doctor or nurse for help. Together, you can set goals to reduce the things that raise your risk of heart attack.
- Don’t smoke, and avoid other people’s tobacco smoke.
- Treat high blood pressure, if you have it.
- Eat a healthy diet that’s low in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, and salt.
- Exercise at least 30 minutes on most or all days of the week.
- Keep your weight in the normal range.
- See your doctor for regular check-ups.
- Take your medicines exactly as prescribed.
- Control your blood sugar if you have diabetes.Even if you have heart disease, there’s a lot you can do to improve your heart’s health. Ask your doctor or nurse for help. Together, you can set goals to reduce the things that raise your risk of heart attack. - Don’t smoke, and... More -
Dr. Charles I. Wilmer of Piedmont Heart Institute answered:I can prevent heart disease and strokes by modifying my risk factors including avoiding tobacco, keeping my blood pressure controlled, and my weight controlled. Routine exercise is necessary with 45 minutes three times a week or 30 minutes a day as tolerated. By seeing your doctor he can go through your risks including your family history, genetic risk and go over the other risk factors that might help, such as reviewing your cholesterol with you, your blood pressure, your blood sugars, and weight with you. It is clearly worth a strong effort in this regard to prevent both heart disease and strokes, as the heart and the brain are fed by the same types of vessels and what affects one will affect the other. Another way of looking at this is if you help you vessels and your heart, you are also helping your brain and therefore reducing the risk of both heart disease and strokes.I can prevent heart disease and strokes by modifying my risk factors including avoiding tobacco, keeping my blood pressure controlled, and my weight controlled. Routine exercise is necessary with 45 minutes three times a week or 30 minutes a day... More -
Deb Cordes of Honor Society of Nursing (STTI) answered:It is important for you to understand your risk factors for having a heart attack or heart disease. If you understand what they are then you can change your lifestyle to reduce your risk factors and your chance of having a heart attack. Risk factors that can be reduced are: smoking, obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high blood sugar, lack of exercise. You can reduce your chances by reducing your risk factors. Do not smoke, if you are overweight lose weight, if you have high blood pressure take your medications as your doctor prescribes and reduce the amount of salt you eat, if you have high cholesterol take your medication as prescribed and eat a diet low in fat, if you are diabetic take your medication as prescribed and follow your diet as prescribed, try to exercise per your doctor's advice
It is important for you to understand your risk factors for having a heart attack or heart disease. If you understand what they are then you can change your lifestyle to reduce your risk factors and your chance of having a heart attack. Risk factors... More -
There are many things that can increase a person’s risk for a heart attack. Some of the risk factors are under your control. Risk factors that are within your control include smoking, lack of physical activity, obesity, illegal drug use, excessive alcohol use, and a stressful lifestyle. There are also specific diseases that increase the risk of a heart attack including high blood pressure, diabetes, coronary artery disease, and high cholesterol. Your doctor may be able to help you control these diseases with lifestyle modification or medication. Then there are risk factors that are out of your control such as age (45 or older if you are male, 55 and older if you are a female) and family history.There are many things that can increase a person’s risk for a heart attack. Some of the risk factors are under your control. Risk factors that are within your control include smoking, lack of physical activity, obesity, illegal drug... More -
Dr. Dede Bonner answered:After your heart attack, your doctor will discuss risk factors and possible medications, surgery, or procedures. There are actions that your doctor will take (like performing surgery or prescribing medicine) as well as risk factors out of your control (age, gender, etc.).
Medical experts unanimously agree that the most important things you can do to prevent another heart attack are the following:
But you want to learn what actions you can take personally and proactively to heal your broken heart. Think of this as the beginning of a lifelong conversation about the lifestyle changes you are willing to make to help yourself and your heart.
• Quit smoking.
• Get more physical activity.
• Eat heart-healthy foods.
• Maintain a normal weight.
• Go to a cardiac rehabilitation program.
• Take medications.
Even if you were dealt a bad hand due to a family history of heart disease, you can fight back by controlling what you eat and your physical activity. Better lifestyle habits can dramatically reduce your risk for another heart attack and even reverse heart disease. Hearing this from your doctor is your most important first step to inspire you to make changes during your recovery.
Of course, for most people, these changes are much easier said than done, especially if they belong to the couch potato club. This is why starting and sticking with a cardiac rehabilitation program is vital. Your goal is to improve your lifelong health habits.
Find out more about this book: The 10 Best Questions for Recovering from a Heart Attack: The Script You Ne...
After your heart attack, your doctor will discuss risk factors and possible medications, surgery, or procedures. There are actions that your doctor will take (like performing surgery or prescribing medicine) as well as risk factors out of your... More -
RealAge answered:Let's say that, by the numbers, your heart looks to be in great shape. Your weight's down. Your waist is trim. Your LDL (bad) cholesterol levels are under 100, and your blood pressure's pretty good (we like 110/70). Whew. One less thing to sweat, right? Not quite. Nearly half of all heart attacks happen to people whose tickers look as good as yours, so doing a little extra might save your life. Here are seven tips to avoid hidden causes of heart attacks:
- Avoid air pollution.
- Don't stop taking baby aspirin.
- Take care of your kidneys.
- Know your siblings' heart health.
- Manage rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, or lupus.
- Repair an unhappy relationship.
- Use your vacation time.
Let's say that, by the numbers, your heart looks to be in great shape. Your weight's down. Your waist is trim. Your LDL (bad) cholesterol levels are under 100, and your blood pressure's pretty good (we like 110/70). Whew. One less thing to... More
