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HEART ATTACK

How can I avoid a heart attack?

First of all, be aware of all the factors that put you at risk. Your next mission is clear: with your doctor's help, control or eliminate as many risk factors as you can. If you smoke, stop. Exercise regularly and eat a healthy, low-fat diet. (Your doctor can run tests to see how much exercise your heart can take and how well you are doing with your blood pressure, cholesterol, and -- if you have it -- diabetes. See Stress Test. ) If your blood pressure or cholesterol levels are still too high despite your healthy lifestyle, you may need prescription medications to bring them under control.
If you or anyone you know is at risk of a heart attack, you may want to encourage your workplace to purchase and implement an automatic external defibrillator (AED) programme on site. Although this equipment used to be operated only by appropriately trained and certified personnel (the Irish Heart Foundation provide training courses), it is increasingly common for airlines, hotels, and other workplaces that deal with the public to be equipped with an AED and have employees trained to use it. Above all, be prepared. The healthiest lifestyle in the world won't make you immune to heart attacks. But if you know how to respond, this threat will be much less dangerous.