According to the CDC, 735,000 Americans suffer a heart attack every year, with nearly a third being people who have previously experienced one. A heart attack occurs when a blockage in the artery prevents the heart from receiving oxygen-rich blood. Such blockages typically occur when cholesterol-laden plaque in the lining of an artery ruptures, forming a clot. Therefore, a heart attack can be viewed as a plumbing problem, similar to a clogged pipe. If the blocked artery isn’t reopened quickly, the part of the heart that is normally nourished by the clogged artery starts to die. The sooner the blockage is removed and blood flow is restored, the less the damage caused.

Heart attack symptoms may include intense discomfort in the chest and other areas of the upper body, cold sweats, shortness of breath, and nausea or vomiting. These may be immediate or gradual, persisting for hours or days.

Any form of heart attack, whether big or small, can permanently injure the heart or, at worse, be fatal. Thanks to extensive research, medical experts have identified several factors that impact a person’s risk for heart attack. Not surprisingly, the more risk factors a person has, the greater the chances of suffering a heart attack. Minimizing these risk factors offers the best protection against heart disease, along with other debilitating and life-threatening diseases.

These risk factors can be broadly classified into three groups— non-modifiable, modifiable, and contributing risk factors.

Non-Modifiable Risk Factors

• Age: A majority of heart attack patients are above the age of sixty-five.
• Gender: Men are at a greater risk of suffering heart attacks than women. Men also have a higher risk of suffering heart attacks earlier in life.
• Ethnicity: The risk of heart attack appears to be higher in African Americans, Hispanics, and American Indians than Caucasians. According to a review published by Harvard Health Publishing, “these differences appear to stem from an increased prevalence of high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity seen in some populations.”

Modifiable Risk Factors

• Smoking: Smoking tobacco is a substantial, independent risk factor for heart disease and heart attacks.
• High Blood Pressure: High blood pressure forces the heart to work much harder. This continual workload may make the heart stiffer and thicker, leading to abnormal functioning and, ultimately, heart attack or stroke.
• High Cholesterol: Cholesterol waste tends to form plaque, resulting in arterial blockages. When high blood cholesterol and other risk factors such as smoking and high blood pressure coexist, heart attack risk increases dramatically.
• Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver (NAFL): NAFL has been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
• Obesity and Overweight: Excess body fat often results in high cholesterol and high blood pressure, both major risk factors for heart disease, heart attack, and stroke.
• Diabetes: According to an article published by the American Heart Association, at least 68 percent of people with diabetes over sixty-five years of age die of some form of heart disease.
• Physical Inactivity: Lack of physical activity contributes to the formation of other risk factors, including high cholesterol, obesity, and diabetes.

Contributing Risk Factors

• Stress: Stress is a multifaceted and dynamic condition. There seems to be a relationship between heart attacks and the level of stress in a person’s life. These are also, unsurprisingly, tied to unhealthy behaviors. For instance, stress may cause a person to fall into such habits as smoking, not sleeping, and overeating, thus increasing heart disease risk.
• Alcohol: Experts strongly advise against excessive drinking because it has been linked to cancer, stroke, and heart disease. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism suggests limiting drinking to no more than three fluid ounces per day.
• Diet and Nutrition: A healthy diet, rich in minerals, vitamins, fiber, and other micronutrients but lower in calories, will help you control such risk factors as high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, and high blood pressure.

Once you take stock of your situation, you can intelligently approach your lifestyle to maximize your health. Notably, this last risk factor, diet and nutrition, plays a critical role in controlling or modulating many of the other risk factors and, with proper guidance, is in everyone’s control.

Written by: Bryant Lusk

Bryant Lusk is a military veteran who grew up on the south side of Chicago. Despite the challenges of gang violence and poverty, he became a successful Safety Inspector and Quality Control Specialist with the United States Government. Lusk spent four years in the United States Air Force, learning the true meaning of empowerment and pride. His desire to serve and protect others led him to begin writing his Share the Health book series, aiming to treat debilitating conditions. He is the author of Osteoporosis & Osteopenia: Vitamin Therapy for Stronger Bones and It’s Not the Cans: The Best Nutrient Balance for a Stronger and Healthier You. His latest book is Heart Disease & Hypertension: Vitamin Therapy™ for a Healthy Heart (Koehler, May 2022). Learn more at BryantLusk.com.