Cholesterol-containing deposits, known as plaques, embed alongside the artery walls, restricting oxygenated blood flow to the heart muscle. As a consequence, the heart struggles to receive the oxygen, blood and nutrients that it needs. One key warning sign that you’ve developed heart disease – meaning you’re at risk of a heart attack – is chest pain.
Another key indication you’re at high risk of a heart attack is if you start to develop shortness of breath.
“If your heart can’t pump enough blood to meet your body’s needs, you may develop shortness of breath or extreme fatigue with activity,” the Mayo Clinic expanded.
Signs of a heart attack:
- Chest pain
- Pain in other parts of the body
- Feeling lightheaded or dizzy
- Sweating
- Shortness of breath
- Feeling sick or being sick
- An overwhelming sense of anxiety
- Coughing or wheezing.
If you believe you might be having a heart attack at any point, do call 999 and request an ambulance.
To help prevent a heart attack – whether you have heart disease or not – it’s important to lead a healthy lifestyle.
It doesn’t matter if you’ve not followed good habits previously in your life, change can occur right this instance.
Heart attack prevention includes:
- Being a non-smoker
- Controlling high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes
- Be physically active
- Eat a low-fat, low-salt diet
- Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains
- Be a healthy weight
- Reduce and manage stress.