Heart attacks do not only affect the older generation of people. Image via Unsplash
‘The earlier you start to look after your health, the better for your heart,’ says heart health expert Nicole Jennings.
Heart attacks do not only affect the older generation of people. Image via Unsplash
There is a common misconception that heart attacks only affect elderly people. An expert has shared that heart attacks in younger men are actually more common than we think.
Now is the time to have an important conversation around our habits and their impact on cardiovascular health.
ALSO READ: Expert opinion: How morning workouts impact your fitness goals
Nicole Jennings, a spokesperson for Pharma Dynamics, SA’s largest provider of cardiovascular medication, says heart attacks are no longer just linked to the aged. Now, one in five heart attack patients is younger than 40.
“What many don’t realise is that there are usually no signs or symptoms of high blood pressure (hypertension) or high cholesterol, yet both increase your risk of a heart attack and stroke.
That’s why it is so important to have these checked by your GP on a regular basis, especially if you’re 40 and older.”
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in South Africa after HIV/AIDS where every hour five people suffer a heart attack. Jennings says heart disease is preventable.
ALSO READ: Sleep: Why it is so important for your fitness
“The earlier you start to look after your health, the better for your heart. The first place to start is to recognise the risk factors for heart disease.”
Jennings says making small changes to your diet by eating more fruit, vegetables, and whole grains and reducing salt consumption is a much safer way to lose weight, than resorting to extreme dieting.
“Proactive, preventative care is the best approach to reduce heart attack deaths among middle-aged men.”
“We urge men 40 years and older to have regular heart checks done. This will inform your doctor about what lifestyle changes you need to make and whether you will benefit from medicines to lower your blood pressure and/or cholesterol levels.
Your doctor will also test for diabetes, which is another causal factor of heart disease and needs to be managed carefully,” says Jennings.
Warning signs of a heart attack in men include chest pain and/or discomfort, which can spread to the arms, neck, jaw, or back.
Dizziness or light-headedness, feeling nauseous, indigestion, unexplained sweating, or shortness of breath are also critical signs.
If you experience any of these symptoms, call:
ALSO READ: Shane Warne: Experts say ‘operation shred’ could have led to death