A healthy heart:
what you need to know

Terms	Definition
Coronary Heart Disease (CHD)	Narrowing or blockage of the coronary arteries, the blood vessels that supply blood to the heart itself.
Heart Attack	Occurs when a section of the heart muscle diesor gets damaged because of reduced blood supply.
Hypertension	Blood pressure is persistently higher than 140/90 mmHg.
Angina	Chest pain.
Stroke	Sudden death of a portion of the brain cells due to a lack of oxygen.

sign of a heart attack:

• pain or pressure in the chest
• discomfort spreading to the back, jaw , throat or arm
• prolong pain in the upper abdomen
• weakness, anxiety or shortness of breath
• rapid or irregular heartbeats
• breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or light headedness=
• heart burn, loss of appetite, tiredness or weakness, coughing and heart flutters(for women)

Risk factors for heart disease

1. Increasing Age

    The risk of getting cardiovascular disease increase as you age.Men who are older than 45 years old 

     and women who are 55 or older are more likely to have a heart attack.

2.Gender

     Men are at a greater risk compared to women.

3. Menopause

    Risk of having cardiovascular diseases after menopause, but it is still not as likely as men.

4. Hereditary

    If your parents, brothers, sisters or close relatives have had a heart attack, stroke and /or currently 

    suffer from high blood pressure, your risk increases as well

5. Ethnicity

    Indians and Malays are statistically more prone to diabetes and hypertension

    (Brain Attacks, The Doctor Says by Dr Milton Lum, Sunday Jan 15, 2012 The Star)

6  Obesity

    A body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher increase the risk of heart disease as it is associated with

    high blood cholesterol levels, high blood pressure and diabetes.

     LIFE'S SIMPLE 7

Designed by American Heart Association, these 7 steps are not expensive, but they can make a big difference in living a beeter life.

1.Eat better

   Eat the colors of the rainbow and opt for food which is low in saturated and trans fat, cholesterol,sodium and added sugars, but high in whole grain fiber, lean protein, and a variety of deeply colored fruits and vegetables.

2.Get active

   Aim for at least 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week. Regular aerobic exercise contributes to beter cardiovascular fitness, which decrease overall risk of heart disease.Exercise is also beneficial in increasing the HDL level (good  cholesterol) and lower high blood pressure.

3. Lose weight if you need to

    Excess weight strains your heart.If you are overweight , try to exercise regularly. Get a registered nutritionist to create a lower fat and calorie content diet plan for you in order to reach a healthy weight.

4. Stop smoking

    Smoking is also the biggest risk factor for sudden cardiac death. Even one to two cigarettes a day greatly increase the risk of heart attack, stroke and other cardiovascular conditions. You can talk with your health-care provider or look for a quit-smoking program.

Parents, talk with kids about cigarette smoking. Learning to say 'no' to cigarettes is learning to say "yes' to your good health.

5.  Manage blood pressure

     You can control high blood pressure by making lifestyle changes like below:

• Take medications to control high blood pressure, as prescribe
• Control stress and anger
• Include foods rich in potassium in your diet
• Limit tour intake of sodium (salt)
• exercise regularly
• Limit alcohol intake
• Follow-up with your health care team.

6.   Lower your total cholesterol, LDL, and triglyceride level

      Elevated LDL, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels increase the possibility of arteries blockage  which may eventually lead to heart disease and/ or stroke. However, a high level of HDL is desirable

as it helps the body clean up excess cholesterol and lowers your risk of heart attack. Aerobic exercise   

help to increase HDL level.

7.   Reduce blood sugar

People wih diabetes (especially women) have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. Keeping diabetes under control is essential in reducing your risk. Regular blood sugar test is important for diabetic patients. A low Glycemic Index (GI) food helps to release glucose more slowly and steadily into the blood stream.