Prevention
- Eating a healthy diet- Eating
- Do not smoke- Smoking can cause high blood pressure and increase the amounts of fatty deposits in the arteries
- Regular exercise- The American Heart Association recommends at least 150 minutes of aerobic exercise to keep your heart functioning normally
- Sleep- Getting more sleep allow the body to recover and put less strain on the heart.
- Manage Stress- An excess of stress can cause high blood pressure which can lead to CVD. Lower stress and your blood pressure will also lower
- Regular health screenings- These health screening can help catch signs of heart disease early and can begin treatment to minimize risks of a heart attack Mayo Clinic. (June 17, 2016). Retrieved April 11, 2017, from Heart disease. (2014, July 29). Retrieved April 06, 2017, from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-disease/ basics/ definition /con-20034056
Signs and symptoms
If you feel any of these symptoms you might be having a heart attack:
If you feel any of these symptoms you might be having a heart attack:
- Chest discomfort- Pressure or a squeezing in the chest. It can feel like a heart attack and happens because there is not enough blood flowing to a part of the heart.
- Discomfort in upper areas of the body- You may feel the pain under your breastbone, or in your neck, arms, stomach, jaw, or upper back
- Shortness of breath- known medically as dyspnea, is often described as an intense tightening in the chest.
- Nausea- is an uneasiness of the stomach that often comes before vomiting. The timing of the nausea or vomiting can indicate the cause.
- Cold sweats- appears to be the symptom that prompts more people suffering a heart attack, but those who sweat are more likely to seek treatment earlier
- Pain around the jaw- Jaw pain that happens in the morning can be an instance of referred pain and serves as a warning sign that you’re at risk for a heart attack. Your blood is thicker at this time of the day, which causes blood pressure to surge, increasing heart attack risk. American Heart Association (July 2015) "Warning Signs of a Heart Attack" retrieved (April 10, 2017) from http://www.heart.org/HEARTORG/Conditions/HeartAttack/WarningSignsofaHeartAttack/Warning-Signs-of-a-Heart-Attack_UCM_002039_Article.jsp#.WO1z14grKUm
Diagnostic Test and Treatment
- Electrocardiogram- a record of a person's heartbeat produced by electrocardiography. If there is anything wrong with your heartbeat, the electrocardiogram will be able to pick up the irregularity.
- Magnetic resonance imaging- medical imaging that measures the response of the atomic nuclei of body tissues to high-frequency radio waves and that produces images of the internal organs.
- Computed tomography scan- Provides x-rays of bones, blood vessels, and soft tissue of the body. This can help doctors find what is wrong with the heart and put you on a treatment plan
- Stents- Stents are expandable tubes placed inside the arteries that can expand narrowed arteries and treat a heart attack. It should be noted however, that the could cause clotting and for this reason, people with stents usually take blood thinners.
- Heart-healthy eating- Vegetables and fruits has a good amount of vitamins and minerals. Eating a balanced diet can help keep a healthy wight and delivers healthy nutrients for your regular body functions.
- Maintaining a healthy weight- Obesity can lead to heart disease so its good to maintain a health weight. Maintaining a healthy weight will reduce the stress on your heart and lead to less plaque buildup. Losing just 5-10% of your weight can decrease your chance of getting heart disease.
- Quitting smoking- Smoking can damage your lungs which can lead to heart problems. Smoking damages the lining of your arteries. This can cause angina, a heart attack or a stroke. The smoke reduces the amount of oxygen in your blood, and this means your heart has to pump harder to supply the body with the oxygen it needs. With smoking, your blood is more likely to clot, which increases your risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
NIH (June 22, 2016) “What Is Coronary Heart Disease?” retrieved (April 11, 2017) from https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/health-topics/topics/cad/atrisk