5 tips to prevent heart disease

An acute myocardial infarction, also called a heart attack, happens when a blood vessel in the heart suddenly becomes blocked.

Heart attack is one of the major causes of death in the world. The number of heart patients is also on the rise in Bangladesh. Some preventive measures can help check heart diseases.

Here are five tips that experts from University of Arizona Sarver Heart Centre have given to prevent heart diseases:

*Don’t smoke or expose yourself to passive smoke

Many experts believe that cigarette smoking and second-hand exposure to smoke increases the risks of heart disease, lung disease, peripheral vascular disease and stroke. If you want to prevent heart diseases, you should give up smoking. 

*Maintain a healthy blood pressure

Hypertension or high blood pressure is called “the silent killer”. Often there are no symptoms in most individuals. According to physicians, high blood pressure causes wear and tear of the delicate inner lining of the blood vessels. High blood pressure increases the risk of heart diseases. You have to check your blood pressure regularly and have to take measures if the blood pressure is high. 

*Monitor your cholesterol

The risk for heart diseases increases with abnormal or high blood lipids. It is important to check your cholesterol level regularly and take medication if blood lipids are high. The risk is higher if you have a strong family history for higher blood lipids.

*Reduce stress

Stress is one of the major contributors to cardiovascular diseases. Extreme stress can cause a heart attack or sudden death. You must take measures if you are stressed out. Meditation is helpful. Listening to music, spending time in the countryside can also help you reduce stress.  You can make a list of the situations that aggravate your stress and avoid these.

*Make exercise a daily habit

The key thing for a healthy life is exercise. Lack of exercise can lead you to obesity which is a risk factory not only for heart disease but for all other diseases. According to different studies, walking two miles a day is needed for a healthy life.