Having a heart attack is one of the things that most people fear. A heart attack can be described as a condition where the muscles of the heart die, due to a blockage of an artery by a blood clot. A heart attack occurs when the clot become big enough to cover the artery, and stop blood flow. You may often wonder what causes a heart attack, here are a few indicators of what causes a heart attack:
Smoking
Due to the fact that the toxins contained in cigarettes causes the coronary arteries to narrow, persons who smoke are more vulnerable to getting a heart attack. Hence, in order to reduce the risk, it is best not to smoke.
Age
A person’s risk of having a heart attack rises extensively depending on their age. A woman’s risk increases when she is 55 years, and older, while a man’s risk increases at 45 years, and older.
Diet
A person whose diet contains high levels of bad cholesterol is at a very high risk of having a heart attack. It is therefore best to keep to a diet with as low a level of cholesterol as possible.
Physical inactivity
Persons who are not physical active, have a higher risk of getting a heart attack, than those persons who are physically active. So it best to keep your body as active as possible.
Previous Heart attack
Having had a heart attack before, makes you more likely to get another, compared to those persons who have never had any.
Obesity/ Overweight
Due to the fact that more persons are becoming overweight, it is very likely that the level of heart attacks will increase. Being overweight places too much pressure on the heart, as it is covered with fat, and cannot perform as it should.
Hypertension / high blood Pressure
Having very high blood pressure can weaken the coronary arteries, and cause them to collapse. The higher the blood pressure, the higher the risk of having a heart attack.
Family History
Another cause of heart attack, is having family members, such as parents or grandparents, who have had heart attacks. One is then more likely to have a heart attack, as compared to other persons in the population.
Angina
This a case where enough oxygen is not reaching the heart. This increases the risk of having a heart attack.
Drug Misuse
Drugs such as cocaine and crack, can cause the coronary arteries to narrow, hence restricting the blood supply, and causing a heart attack. This is one of the main causes of heart attack in young people.
Alcohol
Excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages can lead to a rise in the level of the blood pressure, and cholesterol level. Due to the fact that most alcoholic persons have unhealthy lifestyles, such as having a diet with excessive fat, this increases the risk of a heart attack.
These are a few examples of what causes a heart attack. With this information, one should be able to do an assessment, and make the necessary adjustments to reduce the risk of having a heart attack.
