Dr. Yunus Saleem

The most common reason to succumb to death in case of males is a sudden cardiac arrest. Though females also get affected, but the main victims are males over the age of 40. Reasons for the cardiac arrest are many, and the top one is a prevalent heart disease caused by several factors. Factors include high blood pressure, smoking, alcohol, stress, depression, work life imbalance, anxiety, high cholesterol, obesity, hereditary traits, etc.

If you also fall in the same age group or are nearing it, then you must get conscious right now that you don’t fall prey to a sudden cardiac arrest. If you get one, chances of survival depend on how soon you get a treatment and the potential in the body to receive treatment. However, prevention is always better than cure, and here are some measures that you can follow to prevent a cardiac arrest.

How to prevent getting a sudden cardiac arrest?

Prevention of a cardiac arrest starts right from the alteration of lifestyle. Diet and stress need to be monitored, and regular health checkups give you the confidence to stay better. Try following the steps below:

1. Quit smoking totally as it really kills. The carbon particles block the filters in the lungs gradually and permanently, and limit the lungs' capacities to inhale and filter and absorb oxygen.

2. If you drink, then do it socially and rarely. Long term alcohol consumption increases obesity and fat, and is another blood diluting agent. However, a low consumption helps by melting some LDL cholesterol and fat too.

3. Exercise everyday. You need not do a strength training essentially. Simple, brisk walking, free hand exercising, etc. will do, but the body must get a warm up everyday.

4. Go for a regular heart checkup in intervals of 6 months or 1 year. This will tell you the condition, the cholesterol deposition, the blood pressure and the overall blood circulation.

5. Avoid junk and oily food, and things that build up cholesterol and fat in the body.

When you have just experienced a cardiac arrest-

When you have just experienced a cardiac arrest, you should seek help from a family member using the CPR technique, or a defibrillator. In both cases, the know-how to use the techniques and instruments is a must. Hence, if you know that you have a coronary heart disease and are prone to a sudden cardiac arrest, you must train a member in the family to use these immediate treatments, while they call the doctor. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a Cardiologist.