Is Your Heart At Risk? How To Know It!

Risk factors for heart attacks can be categorized as inherited and modifiable risk factors. Age, sex and race can be categorized as inherited risk factors and cannot be controlled. However, diet, lifestyle, exposure to stress etc can be managed and hence are categorized as modifiable risk factors. Eating right, getting regular exercise, meditating to reduce stress etc are some ways in which you can reduce your risk of having a heart attack. Tobacco smoke is a powerful risk factor when it comes to heart attacks. If you have a hereditary risk of heart diseases, quit smoking today.

Heart attacks rarely occur without any prior signs. Some factors such as age, lifestyle and diet also play an important role in determining the risk of having a heart attack. Understanding and thus being aware of our risk of heart trouble can help you stay more aware of your health and take adequate steps to prevent heart attacks. If you have a history of heart attacks in your family, get yourself tested regularly to ascertain your risk of having a heart attack.

Ideally, you should exercise for at least half an hour a day. Exercise helps keep both the mind and body fit and reduces your risk of heart diseases. By maintaining your weight it helps prevent obesity and reduces the pressure on your heart. It also helps lower blood pressure and strengthens the heart muscles. Climbing the stairs instead of taking the elevator is an easy way to incorporate exercise in your daily routine without setting aside time separately for it.

Men have a higher risk of suffering from a heart attack than women. Women s risk of having heart trouble increases after menopause but still is not as high as men. However, the symptoms of a heart attack are more subtle in the case of women and hence have a higher probability of going unnoticed. Unexplained tiredness is one of the most characteristic symptoms of a heart attack in women. In addition, do not ignore chest pain as this also is a common symptom of heart attacks.