The number of deaths due to heart diseases has increased alarmingly in recent years in Pakistan. Where the risk of heart disease in young people is on the rise. Young adults between the ages of 30 and 40 are developing hypertension (high blood pressure) which can become the cause of heart attack.

Smoking and tobacco use is on the rise in Pakistan, and this is leading to a high incidence of heart attacks among younger citizens.

A sedentary lifestyle, consumption of junk food, lack of sleep, and excessive smoking among the country’s youth is the reason why people are developing heart disease in their early 40s.

Several chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, and lifestyle choices also put people at a higher risk for heart disease as our people are not very fond of physical activities, or any other type of sport.

Read this article for early warning signs of heart attack, and prevention tips.

Major Causes of Heart Attack

The risk of developing coronary heart disease (CHD) is increased by:

• Smoking
• A high-fat diet
• Diabetes
• High cholesterol
• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• Being overweight or obese

Symptoms of Heart Attack

It’s important to be able to identify the signs of a heart attack. Heart disease is often symptomless until it’s too late. The only way to reduce your risk is through smart lifestyle choices and regular checkups. If you experience any of the following symptoms, immediately seek medical help.

• pain or discomfort in the center of the chest
• pain or discomfort in the arms, the left shoulder that radiates to the jaw and/or back

In addition, the person may experience shortness of breath; nausea or vomiting, light-headedness, and cold sweats. Women are more likely than men to have difficulty breathing, nausea, vomiting, and back or jaw pain.

The most common symptom of a heart attack is sudden weakness in an arm, leg, or face which could affect balance. Other symptoms include:

• numbness of the arm, leg or face often on one side of the body
• confusion, trouble speaking or understanding
• trouble seeing from one or both eyes
• sudden loss of balance or coordination
• fainting feeling
• severe headache with no known cause

Lifestyle Changes for Heart Attack Prevention

More and more people, especially the young population of our country, are turning to processed foods that are often high in sugar, salt, saturated fats, and trans fat. With their unhealthy fat content, a diet full of processed foods can lead to abnormal blood lipid (fat) levels. Such abnormalities are strongly correlated with the risk of coronary artery diseases and heart attack.

Following are some heart-healthy lifestyle tips to prevent a heart attack:

1) Stop Smoking

If you smoke, quit. It’s not easy, but it’s much harder to recover from a heart attack or stroke.

2) Choose Good Nutrition

Choose nutrient-rich foods that have fiber, vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients. A healthy diet limits sweets, red meats, and sugar-sweetened beverages while emphasizing vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and low-fat dairy products.

3) Lower High Blood Pressure

Shake that salt habit and get moving. An optimal blood pressure reading should be less than 120/80 mmHg.

4) Be Physically Active Every Day

At least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity each week can help keep your blood pressure, cholesterol, and weight under control.

5) Reduce stress

Being stressed out can affect your overall health and contribute to increasing your risk for heart disease. Stress can cause you to overeat, and smoke which are proven risk factors that can lead to a whole host of harmful diseases.

Taking care of your heart is a lifestyle choice. Your diet, exercise, and stress levels play a crucial role in your cardiovascular health. How you live every day has a huge effect on your heart and vascular system. By taking a few simple steps, you can significantly reduce your risk of sudden cardiac arrest, heart attack, and stroke.

With all these preventing steps, you must go to your doctor if you feel the situation is getting out of hand.