10 Things You Can Do To Lower Your Risk for Heart Attack

Since the spread of the pandemic, there has been a huge increase of people suffering from heart attacks, and a lot of them are not surviving. Sadly, post covid side effects have also led to a lot of younger people, mostly around the age of 40 to also suffering from this deadly disease. Owing to all of this, there is a lot of awareness and a need for educating people on how to prevent heart attacks.

Heart diseases are, in general, a leading cause of death in a lot of countries, including first-world nations like the US. So it is only logical that people have at least some basic level of understanding and what are the possible steps to be taken if ever caught in a situation of a sudden heart attack while the medics arrive. Hence, in this article, we will look at some things that can be done to lower the risk of heart attack and some temporary remedies to work out till help arrives. 

10 things you can do to lower your risk of heart attack

Be Active- Leading a physically active lifestyle is key to lowering your risk of heart diseases and hence, a great answer to the question of how to avoid a heart attack. Any type of physical activity does the trick. Dancing, running, cycling, jogging, whatever you like to do. For people who are unable to be very physically active, activities like yoga and walking can also be beneficial. It is recommended to engage in at least 30 minutes of physical activity each day. While it may seem difficult given everyone’s busy schedules, it must be remembered that you first need to be healthy and alive in order to accomplish your tasks and goals. 

Watch what you eat- This does not mean that you need to eat salads all day, every day. What this means is that you should eat a balanced diet and be more mindful of what you are eating. Eating too much-fried food and mindless snacking (which most of us are guilty of now, especially since Work from home began) are the worst things you can do to yourself. Too much fried or fatty food and junk food is the direct cause of clogged arteries and thus the leading cause of heart diseases. 

De-Stress yourself- Work and home life can be very stressful and draining. Over time, stress and tension can pile up and take many ugly and life-threatening forms, one of them being heart attacks. So if you are mulling over the question on how to prevent heart attack, reflect on your life, see what causes you to stress out. Which aspects of your life make you feel drained at the end of the day and see what you can do to fix them. That being said, not every stress-causing factor can be avoided, so it is important that you make time for some self-care and do whatever takes away your woes. 

Manage any Pre-existing Conditions- If you have any pre-existing conditions like high blood pressure issues and such, it is important to manage and monitor these conditions right from the beginning. Get regular checkups done to ensure your ailment is under control and that your medication is correct. Blood pressure medicines are sometimes required to be changed and regulated as per your body’s condition. Thus it is important to get checked regularly. It is equally important to ensure you do not miss your medication as it can have serious repercussions. In case you or someone in your proximity is suffering from a heart attack, here is how to stop a heart attack in 30 seconds and how to stop a heart attack immediately at home.

Check for Early Symptoms- It is important to notice early signs and not dismiss them. Usually, people think that something else is causing their symptoms, which causes a delay in getting adequate attention and help, leading to your condition becoming very severe, very quick, and often fatal. The most common Symptom is Chest Pain. If you feel uncomfortable or pressure or squeezing pain in your chest, do not ignore it. Additionally, if you feel lightheaded, nauseated, sweaty, dizzy, or have difficulty in breathing, take note of it and take emergency action. 

Call for help- Call the nearest hospital so that the patient can be taken to the hospital at the earliest without delay. 

Take an Aspirin- Do not swallow it with water. When in this condition, the aspirin needs to be chewed on.  However, do not take it if you have been advised against it or are allergic to this medication. Another method for how to stop a heart attack immediately is to take nitroglycerin. This must, however, only be done if a doctor has prescribed it. It is important to keep your own nitroglycerin and not use someone else’s as that could be more dangerous. 

Medication- If any other medication has been prescribed by your doctor earlier, then make sure to take that as per instruction. 

Let in the fresh air- While in between a heart attack, let in some fresh air by opening a door or window so that the patient can combat the feeling of being suffocated. 

There are a few more things that can be done to prevent a heart attack, but it is of utmost importance to call for help at the earliest. Heart conditions are becoming increasingly common, which is a reflection of our unhealthy lifestyles. We need to take a step back and make several necessary changes to prevent heart diseases altogether.

Take a few minutes away from all technology to go back to nature, try to prevent too much exposure to pollution, do not smoke, especially when in the company of others, as secondhand smoke is just or even more damaging to people. Make proper use of resources like seasonal produce to get maximum benefits of your food, and make sure to include physical activity to avoid the danger of heart ailments in the first place.