How to Prevent Myocardial Infarction

Myocardial infarction is a medical term for heart attack and occurs when the blood supply to some parts of the heart is blocked. Prevention is possible, even when serious lifestyle changes must be made.

Instructions

1. Stop smoking if you are a smoker. Consult your doctor about which smoking cessation method works best for you. Be patient. You may have to try several times before quitting smoking completely.

2. Bring your blood pressure down. Studies show that no the relationship between blood pressure and the risk of myocardial infarction is continuous. In other words, there is no threshold below which lowering your blood pressure will have no effect on your risk of having heart attack. As a rule of thumb, a reduction in 5 mmHg diastolic blood pressure leads to a reduction of risk of having heart attack by 20%. To lower your blood pressure, you can try a diet low in sodium.

3. Maintain regular physical activity. Physical activity has several cardiovascular benefits. It lowers blood pressure and cholesterol naturally. It also strengthen the muscles of the heart.

4. Maintain a diet which is low in saturated fat and cholesterol. This will help to reduce your cholesterol, which cause narrowing blood vessels.

5. Check your cholesterol and blood pressure regularly. If your cholesterol and blood pressure are still high, consult your doctor about the possibility of using medications to lower cholesterol and blood pressure. If you have diabetes, keep your sugar level as low as possible. Studies show that diabetic patients with their glucose under control have lower risk of heart diseases.