If you’ve already had a heart attack, you’re at an increased risk of having another. But taking control of your own heart and blood vessel health can significantly lower your chances of having a second heart attack.
What causes a heart attack?
A heart attack, known as a myocardial infarction, is a serious medical condition that happens when the blood supply to part of your heart gets blocked. Your heart muscle then becomes damaged because of a lack of oxygen.
Symptoms of a heart attack vary from person to person. However, common signs include:
- Pain or discomfort in your chest that happens suddenly and doesn’t go away.
- Pain that spreads to your arms, neck, jaw, back, or stomach.
The pain or tightness can be severe, but it can also be a feeling of sickness, sweatiness or light-headedness, or feeling short of breath.
It’s important to know that not everyone experiences severe chest pain, particularly women. The pain can be mild and mistaken for indigestion.
The risk of heart attack can be greatly reduced by a combination of lifestyle precautions and medication.
Your blood pressure – the pressure of blood in your arteries – goes up and down and it’s normal for it to go up while you’re active. But when your overall blood pressure is consistently high, even when you are resting, it can be a risk.
Cholesterol, a fatty substance found in your blood, is something we all have – but high cholesterol can increase your risk of heart and circulatory diseases such as heart attacks and strokes.
Antiplatelet medicine
Heart attacks happen because of an abnormal blood clot blocking one or more of your coronary arteries – the arteries which supply blood to your heart. You will usually be prescribed two antiplatelet medicines after your heart attack, to prevent new dangerous clots from forming.
Physical activity
Being active not only helps to reduce your risk of heart and circulatory disease, but it can also help you control your weight, reduce blood pressure and cholesterol and improve your mental health.
Healthy diet
We should all focus on eating a healthy, balanced diet as this will help to lower the risk of heart and circulatory diseases. Aim to eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, whole grains, beans, lentils, nuts, and seeds
Quit smoking and cut down alcohol
Smoking cigarettes makes the walls of your arteries sticky from the chemicals, so fatty material can stick to them. If the arteries that carry blood to your heart get damaged and clogged, it can lead to a heart attack.
Handling anxiety
Having a heart attack can cause a spectrum of emotions, such as anxiety, fear, low mood and anger.
avoid stressful situations, for example, if someone cuts you up on a motorway, don’t get annoyed but let it slide. take measures like going for walks and try to switch off from social media to watch a film or do some personal projects.
