How to Tell if You Are at Risk of Heart Disease

• Women who have a body mass index (BMI) of above 30 have a high risk of coronary artery disease.
• Foods that are high in saturated fats, such as fatty beef cuts, mutton, pork (including bacon and ham), chicken with skin, tallow, lard, cream, butter, cheese and full-fat or skim dairy products account for 31 percent of heart disease causes.
• Symptoms of myocardial infarction may be of tightness, pain and heaviness in the center of the chest, as if something was pressing down on it, along with pain that radiates out to the jaw, arms, shoulders, or upper abdomen; chest pain and tightness related to physical exertion or exercise; chest pain and tightness that improve when resting or halting activities.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in both males and females worldwide. In the United States, someone will have a heart attack every 40 seconds. Each minute, more than one person dies from a heart-disease related event.

In Thailand, heart disease numbers are increasing steadily and are caused by a wide variety of factors. These include non-modifiable risk factors, such as gender, age and family history, as well as modifiable risk factors, such as eating habits and physical activity. While heart disease can be life-threatening, it can often be prevented by modifying behaviors that cause or increase the risk of heart disease along with regular annual health checkups.

• Age: With increasing age, various organs in the body naturally deteriorate.
• Gender: Males are more likely to suffer from heart disease than females.
• Diabetes: Those with diabetes are 2 to 4 times more likely to develop heart disease than people without diabetes.
• High Blood Pressure: A blood pressure reading of more than 140/90 mmHg indicates increased risk of heart disease. Those who have had high blood pressure since before the age of 50 have a higher risk of coronary artery disease.
• Hypercholesterolemia
• Obesity: For women, a body mass index (BMI) greater than 25 affects heart health, and a BMI above 30 is considered obese and indicates a high risk of coronary artery disease.

Waist circumference measurement can help to indicate heart disease risk

• Smoking: Women who smoke have a higher risk of heart disease than men who smoke. That risk is doubled in women who smoke 3-5 cigarettes / day while for men who smoke 6-9 cigarettes / day smoking increases the death rate from heart disease by 300%.
• High-fat foods: Foods that are high in saturated fats, such as fatty beef cuts, mutton, pork (including bacon and ham), chicken with skin, tallow, lard, cream, butter, cheese and full-fat or skim dairy products are the cause of heart disease in approximately 31% of the world’s population.
• Genetics: You are at greater risk of developing heart disease if you have a first-degree male relative who has suffered a heart attack before the age of 55 or a first-degree female relative who has suffered one before the age of 65.

1.Chest Pain

Three types of chest pain that should be observed as possible symptoms of myocardial infarction:

• Tightness pain, and heaviness in the center of the chest as if something was pressing down on it, with pain radiating out to the jaw, arms, shoulders or upper abdomen.
• Chest pain and tightness related to physical exertion or exercise.
• Chest pain and tightness that improves when halting activities or resting or when taking sublingual (under the tongue) vasodilator medications.

2.Heart Palpitations

3.Rapid Heartbeat

4.Weakness and Fatigue

5.Swelling (Edema) in the Legs

6.Dizziness or Fainting

If you experience any of the above symptoms, you should always consider that they may indicate a fairly clear sign of tendency toward heart disease. A doctor will provide examinations for diagnosis of heart disease along with any necessary treatment. You should also come for regular screening with a heart specialist to confirm whether you have any heart problems present or not.