Myocardial infarctions — better known as heart attacks — are the culmination of things that have gone wrong with the heart and circulatory system over a period of time. About one million American adults suffer from a heart attack every year. What happens is that the regular supply of blood to the heart suddenly gets cut off, which damages or even destroys a part of the heart muscle as a result.
If we take the results of a new study into account, it is prudent to discuss heart attacks specifically during this time of year. Winter is on its way, the holidays are around the corner, and with the return of festive foods, many of us forget about the importance of maintaining a proper diet and exercising.
That might partially explain why the study found that December is by far the most deadly month for heart attacks. They came to this startling conclusion when looking at nearly 130,000 adults who were over the age of 65 and who had suffered a heart attack in the mid 1990s.
It was startling because of the rather grim results — if you experienced a heart attack in December, you were far more likely to die than if you had experienced one during any other month of the year. Most people who had an attack in December died within one month of the event. Nobody knows exactly why this was the case, but more tests should certainly be done on these findings.
In any event, with all this in mind, we thought it wise to quickly discuss heart attacks now — before December — because they are a never-ending threat. Contrary to what many people believe, sometimes you don’t even know you’ve had one. While some heart attacks are painful (think of the common image of people clutching their chest), some actually lead to symptoms that are much milder.
It’s vital to get a checkup immediately after having a heart attack, because your heart will need help with pumping blood.
Watch out for these symptoms: shortness of breath, cold sweats, or discomfort. Also watch out for any of these sensations in the chest: squeezing, pressure, pain, or discomfort. Keep in mind that heart attacks occur after things have already been unhealthy with a person’s system for a bit too long.
Do your best to prevent a heart attack by taking advantage of some of the following tips (supplied by the American Heart Association):
–Get regular checkups from your doctor –Check your cholesterol and blood pressure frequently –Don’t smoke –If you are diabetic, control your blood glucose levels –Keep your diet low in saturated fat and salt –Stay active — exercise for half an hour every day –Always take your prescription drugs as directed
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Tags: exercise, glucose, health tips
