“Too many U.S. adults have a heart age years older than their real age, increasing their risk of heart disease and stroke. Everybody deserves to be young – or at least not old – at heart.” – Tom Frieden
“Approximately every 40 seconds, an American will have a heart attack.” [1] And “heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States.” [2]
These stats may concern you, especially if you have a preexisting heart condition or a family history of heart complications.
But hopefully they aren’t making you panic.
What they suggest is that you take your heart health seriously and know what to look out for.
Here are some important facts to take into consideration.
Heart Disease Risk Factors
Some people are more prone than others to suffer from heart disease. Risk factors include:
- Having high cholesterol
- Being obese and overweight
- Having diabetes
- Being a smoker
- Having high blood pressure
- Maintaining a poor diet [3]
- Not getting enough physical activity [2]
- Consuming a lot of alcohol [2]
What to Look Out For
Major Warning Signs of a heart attack include:
- Pain or discomfort in the chest
- Pain or discomfort in the upper body, jaw, neck, arms, back, or upper stomach.
- Shortness of breath.
- Lightheadedness, nausea, or cold sweats.
Early Intervention
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “It is important to recognize the signs of a heart attack and to act immediately by calling 911. A person’s chance of surviving a heart attack increases if emergency treatment is administered as soon as possible.”
Heart disease is a real concern and getting immediate help for a possible heart attack can be lifesaving, but there is also a fine line between concern and panic. You don’t want to be paranoid about an imaginary heart attack all the time, and worrying too much, probably, won’t do your heart much good either. So, make sure to get guidance from your doctor on the subject.
Are you concerned about heart attacks?
Please share in the comments below.
[1] https://healthmetrics.heart.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Heart-Disease-and-Stroke-Statistics-2017-ucm_491265.pdf
[2] https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/docs/ConsumerEd_HeartDisease.pdf
[3] https://www.cdc.gov/heartdisease/facts.htm
Disclaimer, or Use At Your Own Risk
The information in this post should not be viewed as professional opinions and we do not take any responsibility for its content. Any action you take based on the information of this post is strictly at your own risk. You should always speak to your doctor regarding medical information and your health.