What are the numbers I need to keep in check to reduce my risk of heart attack

September 2, 2021: Sidharth Shukla (40), Balika Vadhu star, died of a heart attack.

October 29, 2021: Kannada superstar Puneeth Rajkumar dies of a heart attack, working out in a gym…

They were all young and died unexpectedly. Some were smokers, some had previously survived a heart attack and some were apparently very fit and working out in gyms. There was a time when heart attacks occurred in old age but now one in five heart attacks occurs in the young. On World Heart Day, let’s look at why such heart attacks take place and how we can prevent them.

CAUSES

There are a number of causes for a heart attack: older age (Men above 45 years and women above 55 years), family history of heart attacks, smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes and obesity. The commonest cause of heart attacks in the young is smoking. A sedentary lifestyle, junk food, work stress and early onset of diseases like diabetes and hypertension.

PREVENTION

You should know your numbers:

Detect hypertension and get it treated (diagnosed by blood pressure above 140/90 mm Hg),
Treat diabetes (blood report of HbA1c above 6.5%, fasting blood sugar > 126 mg/dl)
Control obesity (body mass index calculated from height and weight showing a value more than 25 )
Control your raised cholesterol (LDL cholesterol >130, Triglycerides >150 ).

WHAT SHOULD MY HABITS BE?

Regular exercise and walking (30 minutes a day for 5 days a week, walking 6,000-10,000 steps a day)
Stopping smoking and controlling alcohol intake are important.
The diet should be regulated with reduced intake of fatty and processed food. The food should be high in fibre content (eating whole grains and salads). Increased use of nuts including almonds, plenty of fruits rich in anti-oxidants and vitamins, and low in sugar and salt.
Stress can be reduced by meditation, yoga and regular sleep and exercise patterns.

WHEN SHOULD I CHECK WITH MY DOCTOR?

In spite of our best efforts to prevent a heart attack, we can still get one. In that situation, we should not delay going to the hospital. Pain in the chest is often thought to be due to acidity. It usually is, but if the pain persists in spite of antacids, is associated with sweating and radiation to the arm, light headedness and also causing difficulty in breathing, one should not delay and go to the nearest doctor or hospital. Some people may just collapse suddenly and even die. To tackle this, we need to train everyone to recognise these signs of a heart attack and teach them to respond fast by taking such patients to the emergency services.

Being armed with knowledge works. Saif Ali Khan suffered a minor heart attack in 2013 after which he stopped smoking. Actor comedian Sunil Grover had a heart attack and had a bypass surgery that saved him. Saira Banu also had a heart attack but was immediately rushed to the hospital. They were all saved due to timely interventions. A healthy heart equals a healthy you.