How Can You Prevent a Sudden Heart Attack?

More than 200,000 people are rushed to hospital in the UK every year with a heart attack. Many of them didn’t know that they were at risk until it happened to them. However, there are some things you can do to prevent yourself from experiencing the same thing. Even if you don’t have any symptoms of heart disease, you could be at risk. It’s important to do what you can to protect your heart.

5 Things You Can Do to Prevent a Sudden Heart Attack

1. Eat a Healthy Diet:

A balanced diet that includes plenty of fruit, vegetables and wholegrains is great for your heart. You should limit the amount of sugar, salt and fat that you eat. It’s also important to lose any excess weight as being overweight or obese can significantly increase the risk of heart disease.

2. Exercise:

Getting regular exercise is essential for your cardiovascular health. Most adults should aim to do at least 150 minutes of aerobic exercise a week. You could try walking, swimming, cycling or a team sport. However, it’s important not to push yourself too hard. Suddenly taking on a high intensity workout could actually put you at risk of a sudden heart attack because of the strain on your body. Ask your doctor for advice on starting to exercise safely.

3. Quit Your Bad Habits:

Smoking is one of the worst things you can do for your heart, but you should also avoid drinking too much alcohol.

4. Be Aware of the Weather:

Sudden heart attacks are most likely to strike on winter mornings when you are clearing ice or snow. The combination of cold weather, physical exertion and an early start can put a lot of strain on your heart. Other factors such as dehydration and emotional stress can also trigger sudden heart attacks. Be aware of these risks and do what you can to avoid them, for example by wrapping up warm in winter.

5. Get Heart Screening to Know Your Risk:

Improving your lifestyle can make a big difference to your cardiac health, but the only way to know whether you are at risk is to see a doctor for heart screening. We can assess your cardiac risk and advise you on the lifestyle changes and treatments that can prevent a sudden heart attack.

Improve Your Chances of Surviving a Heart Attack

Taking these steps should reduce the risk, but it’s also important to know what to do if you or someone else does have a heart attack:

Signs of a TIA include sudden:

• Be aware of the symptoms such as pain in the chest, neck or arms, nausea, dizziness, breathlessness and sweating
• Learn how to perform CPR
• Call an ambulance immediately if you suspect a heart attack