1. Family history: If your father had heart problems before age 55 or your mother had problems before age 65, or if your brothers or sisters have had heart attacks, talk to your doctor and be especially careful to minimise other risks.
2. Smoking: Heart health is only one of many reasons to quit smoking.
3. Cholesterol abnormalities: Both high LDL (bad cholesterol) and low HDL (good cholesterol), in some cases, can be controlled through diet and exercise. Often, however, medication may be needed.
4. High Blood Pressure: Hypertension (chronic high blood pressure), is a condition with few or no self—evident symptoms. It may be controllable through diet and exercise and, as with cholesterol levels, with medication.
5. Diabetes: If you have diabetes, you have a much higher risk of heart attacks which may occur with atypical symptoms. It is extremely important to work with your doctor to manage your diabetes.
6. Physical inactivity - Regular, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity can help control blood cholesterol, diabetes, and obesity, as well as help lower blood pressure and reduce your risk of heart attack.
Prevention: Beyond recognising and responding to heart attack symptoms, Schott says that he and his member colleagues encourage patients to take steps now to prevent heart attacks or repeat heart attacks.
“The same advice applies, whether you’ve had a heart attack or would like to keep your heart healthy: Don’t smoke; Manage your BP and cholesterol; Eat healthy and exercise daily,”
