Why being young and fit may not protect you from a heart attack.OFF TOPIC

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Why being young and fit may not protect you from a heart attack

Heart attacks aren't just for older, overweight men with high cholesterol and

high blood pressure. Doctors are seeing patients in their 40s come in with heart

disease due to self-inflicted risk factors, according to Ilan Wittstein, M.D.,

an assistant professor at the s Hopkins University School of Medicine and

its Heart Institute. Middle-aged men need to be on guard. Even if you work out

and eat healthy, you could still be at risk.

Beware of Risk Factors

" In half of the cases of heart attacks, the heart attack is the first time the

patient finds out about heart disease, " says A. Stein, director of

preventive cardiology at Beth Israel Medical Center and spokesperson for the

American Heart Association. More than 60 percent of heart attacks have to do

with simple lifestyle issues, such as diet, exercise and cigarette smoking, and

easy to detect and treat medical issues such as high blood pressure and high

cholesterol. " Men need to know about the risk factors that predict the majority

of heart disease cases, " Stein says.

Stress Less

Research shows that not only do you have to watch your diet, exercise, and avoid

smoking and excessive alcohol to prevent a heart attack, it's imperative to be

aware of your family history and to manage your stress level. According to the

2004 INTERHEART study in the Lancet, stress is one of three main risk factors

for coronary artery disease, and is responsible for a fifth of heart attacks

worldwide.

Stress played a very important role in what may have caused the heart attack of

Ken Lay, the founder of Enron Corp, says Wittstein. Convicted of conspiracy and

fraud, Lay faced 25 to 40 years in prison before his untimely death. " If we look

at medical literature over time, we find many good examples of how stress can

have a profound affect on the heart, " says Wittstein, who co-authored last

year's study on " broken heart syndrome " in the New England Journal of Medicine.

" We can't prove that heart attacks can be caused by stress, but we know that

people who are under higher stress, have a greater risk of developing heart

disease, " Whittstein adds.

Release the Pressure

But it's possible to lessen your risk of heart disease by using calming stress

management techniques, say these experts. Duke University Medical researchers

conducted a study with 107 patients who had a history of heart problems. To

lower the risk of future heart attacks, researchers divided the patients into

three treatment groups; a third of the group exercised, another third received

standard care, and the last third learned stress management techniques through 4

months of therapy and training. The stress management group fared the best with

a 74 percent reduction in cardiac events over the 5-year analysis.

Stress management techniques can include getting therapy, or be as simple as

taking up yoga, practicing tai chi or using meditation techniques for five

minutes every day. " It's proven that relaxation techniques lower blood pressure

and improve bloodflow, " Dr. Wittsetin says.

Modify Your LifestyleBelow we provide you with risk factors to be aware of and

simple modifications you can make to your lifestyle today to lessen the

probability of a heart attack down the road.

Starting in your mid-to-late 30's, take measures to prevent heart disease by

doing the following:

1. Be aware of major risk factors: Hypertension, high cholesterol, cigarette

smoking, having a family history of heart disease, and diabetes are all major

risk factors that could increase your probability of having a heart attack.

2. Make a lifestyle change: Think of the things that are in your power to

change, like improving your diet, getting exercise, and quitting smoking. Eat

seven to nine fruits and vegetables each day, says Dr. Stein, who recommends the

Dash Diet, a Mediterranean, fruit-and-vegetable -based diet that can be

downloaded online for free here. Get at least 2 hours of moderately intensive

exercise each week, recommends Dr. Stein.

3. Make an appointment to be evaluated: If you have a family history of heart

attacks, or you think you're at risk, spend 45-minutes to an hour with a

preventive cardiologist at your local hospital. The evaluation and blood test

will reveal your HDL and LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, fasting lipid profile,

blood pressure, and family history. " Don't wait until you are in your 50s to get

a formal assessment, " Dr. Wittstein says. From this checkup, the doctor will be

able to determine if you need to have a non-invasive scan of your heart to look

for problems, or if you need to be prescribed medication like statins.

4. Don't deny cardiac symptoms: If you're experiencing " shortness of breath or

chest pains from exertion, get to the hospital right away, " warns Dr. Stein, who

had a friend die from a heart attack last year, after experiencing chest pains

while riding his bike.

5. Use medication: " If a physician recommends it, get started on medication,

like statins, that can help you modify your risk factor, " Dr. Wittstein says. If

you have a family history or believe you are at risk, also take a 81-160 mg

aspirin tablet each day as a precaution. " For a 40-year-old man with a strong

family history of heart attacks, a baby aspirin would be reasonable, " he says.

Extra: If you're under high stress, take up meditation, yoga, tai chi, or

practice any other relaxation technique for five minutes every day. " Exercise

can relieve a lot of stress for people, " Wittstein says. " People who exercise on

a regular basis, are less likely to have heart disease or die from a heart

attack later in life. "

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