Heart attack is the number one cause of death in the Western World. Some say it is a tricky health condition since just like the word attack itself, you do not know when or where will the heart attack happen.

Scientifically called Myocardial Infarction, this happens when a certain part of the heart muscle is damaged or worst, dies. Damage or death of heart muscles will result to the inability of the heart to receive oxygen. Oxygen is very important in the processes of the human body as it needs to be carried to the heart by many arteries or blood vessels. The blockage is commonly caused by Atherosclerosis. This is the build up of fatty deposits called plaque inside the arteries. Another common cause of heart attack is due to blood clots that are stuck in a very narrow portion of the arteries leading directly to the heart. These clots are more likely to gather and form where Atherosclerosis has made an artery very narrow than usual.

A person may look perfectly okay, but may suffer a chronic heart problem. A heart attack can strike anywhere. It can occur while you are taking a walk at the park, while you are inside a church or while you are busy at work. Sometimes, people just do not know it, but they already had a heart attack. Bear in mind that a heart attack may feel like a very bad case of heartburn. If you feel great pressure or crushing pain in your chest coupled with heavy sweating, nausea or vomiting, you might as well consider calling for help. Another sign that a heart attack is happening is if there is a pain that extends from the chest up to the jaw and to the left or right shoulder. Tightness of chest and shortness of breath also needs to be taken seriously as this can also be an indication that you have a heart attack. Ignoring pain and discomfort can be fatal to someone who has a heart condition; getting help as soon as possible is your best option.

Heart attack can be caused by thousands of things. One can blame lifestyle or heredity. Aside from that, people with diabetes and chain smokers also face greater risk of having a heart attack. Studies shows that a large percent of people who die from heart attack are 65 years old and up. High cholesterol level and high blood pressure can also trigger this attack. The hardening of arteries known as Atherosclerosis and lack of exercise can also be pointed out as one of the culprits of this disease as well as stress and obesity.

Prevention is indeed better than cure that is why there are a lot of ways in order to avoid heart attack. Consulting your family doctor maybe the best thing to do, and in that way you will get to know the specific factors of risk that you might be facing and how to avoid it. One of the things to do in order to avoid heart attack is to quit smoking. By eating a healthy diet and cutting back on foods that are saturated in fat and sodium, your cholesterol level and blood pressure may be lowered thus, lessening the risk of having heart attack. If you have diabetes, be sure to control your blood sugar. If you have hypertension, control your blood pressure. Lifestyle is another factor that causes heart attack so watch it. If you are overweight, try and lose some weight then. Exercise may sound like a cliché and very hard thing to do, but 30 minutes of exercise that raises your heart rate is also important in order to avoid possible heart attack. In some cases, Aspirin is taken to help reduce the risk as they are effective in keeping blood clots from forming, but of course, you need to speak to your doctor about this first.

Jason Ladock

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