Shane Warne, Bill Russell and Pele – just three sports icons who passed away in 2022. A look at their legacies plus six others. Image via Instagram: @shanewarne
‘Proactive, preventative care is the best approach to reduce heart attack deaths among middle-aged men,’ says expert Nicole Jennings.
Shane Warne, Bill Russell and Pele – just three sports icons who passed away in 2022. A look at their legacies plus six others. Image via Instagram: @shanewarne
The news of a heart attack claiming the life of cricket legend, Shane Warne at only 52 years of age has sent shockwaves across the world. His sudden passing has sparked an important conversation around men’s habits and their impact on cardiovascular health.
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.
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“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:
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