5 Heart Attack Triggers You Must Know About

Disclaimer: Results are not guaranteed*** and may vary from person to person***.

Have you ever had a heart attackEven if you’ve taken the important first steps to improving your heart health such as cutting back on fatty and salty foods and eating more fruits and vegetables, there are still heart attack triggers that you may not be aware of—some of which you may not have realized could contribute to a possible heart attack.

New heart triggers are being discovered and these top five heart attack triggers may surprise you:

1. Non-stick chemicals: If you use pots or pans that have been coated with non-stick chemicals, you should consider replacing them with stainless steel, cast-iron, or glass cookware. Non-stick cookware contains perfluorooctanoic acid, a chemical that has been linked to heart disease and high cholesterol.

2. Pollution: Excessive heat in the air causes the formation of particles known as PM2.5. These particles are so small they can evade your body’s immune system, enter the blood stream, and migrate through your blood stream, causing the formation of plaque on arteries.

3. Antibacterial soap: Besides being named as one of the causes of thyroid disease and creating antibiotic resistant germs, new research also suggests that antibacterial soap can also cause damage to heart tissue.

4. Canned foods: Besides being a source of high amounts of sodium, canned goods also contain bisphenol A or BPA, the chemical that’s under scrutiny for causing health problems, such as birth defects and prostate cancer. You can add heart arrhythmia and possible cardiac arrest to the list of health issues BPA may cause.

5. Certain fish: While fish can be a great and healthy source of protein, certain species such as trout, mackerel, swordfish, and any kind of shark should be avoided since they contain mercury. Mercury causes a myriad of health problems such as interfering with the body’s response to stress, increasing the risk of heart disease.

While the reasons listed above may be surprising heart attack triggers, sitting in traffic, as anyone who faces a lengthy commute can testify, is also a major cause of heart attacks. German researchers discovered that individuals who spend a lot of time stuck in traffic, whether it’s as a driver or passenger, on public transit, or even on a bicycle are 3.2 times more likely to suffer a heart attack.

Even though getting plenty of exercise is recommended, pushing yourself too hard can also lead to a heart attack, especially if you aren’t used to exercising. Start out slowly or better yet, join a gym and hire a personal trainer who will help you to ease into a fitness routine.

Source(s) for Today’s Article:
Zerbe, L., “6 Surprising Heart Attack Triggers,” ABC News web site, September 8, 2013, http://abcnews.go.com/Health/Wellness/surprising-heart-attack-triggers/story?id=20182514#2,last accessed September 12, 2013.Marsa, L., Fevered (Rodale Books, 2013)
“6 Surprising Heart Attack Triggers,” Care2 web site, September 12, 2011; http://www.care2.com/greenliving/6-surprising-heart-attack-triggers.html,last accessed September 12, 2013.