Have you ever considered that certain factors put you on the front line for potential health conditions? While you have some control over some of these factors, others may be totally out of reach for you. Do you want to know what puts you at risk for myocardial infarction Forest Hills? Also known as heart attack, the condition develops when an obstruction prevents blood flow to your heart. You should know your risk factors so you can always be careful to avoid them and lower your risk. The discussion below will focus on five common risk factors for heart attack.

Heredity Factors

Does anyone in your family have a medical history of myocardial infarction? You are most likely to develop the same as time passes, especially if the family member had the condition at a younger age. Your risk may even be greater because you possess a similar gene to theirs. Although you cannot reverse the family history factor, you can talk to your doctor to give you an evaluation.

Diabetes

Your risk for myocardial infarction increases when you have diabetes, a condition resulting from uncontrolled blood sugar levels. Whether you keep your glucose under control after discovering you have diabetes or not, you may still have an increased risk. Therefore, you may require regular checkups with your doctor to ensure your blood sugar levels stay controlled. Your doctor will help you develop healthy habits, including eating and medications to control your blood sugar and lower your risk for myocardial infarction.

Physical Inactivity

An inactive lifestyle may increase your risk of cardiovascular diseases, including myocardial infarction. You may easily have high blood cholesterol, obesity, and high blood pressure, which leads to heart diseases. Therefore, aim for at least half an hour of physical activity daily, ranging from moderately intense to vigorous physical activities. Regular exercise will help keep your blood cholesterol and diabetes under control and also reduce obesity, thus lowering your risk for heart conditions.

High Blood Pressure

Hypertension increases your heart’s workload by forcing it to work harder, which may cause your heart muscles to stiffen and thicken. Such thickening may cause abnormal heart functioning, increasing your risk for heart attacks. High blood pressure alongside high blood cholesterol, diabetes, and smoking may further increase your risk for myocardial infarction. Therefore, you should talk to your doctor about managing your blood pressure to lower your risk.

Unhealthy Diets

You can fight cardiovascular diseases by choosing a healthy diet daily. However, focusing on foods with fewer nutrients, high calories, and sugar-sweetened beverages may affect your health. You may develop risk factors like diabetes, being overweight, and high blood cholesterol, increasing your risk for myocardial infarction. Consider your diet and pursue healthy eating to lower the risk factors associated with unhealthy eating.

Myocardial infarction, a heart attack, is a severe medical condition that may lead to death if not treated. The most common reason for developing a heart attack is cholesterol build-up in your arteries, preventing blood flow to your heart. Instead of waiting for symptoms, you can consult your doctor, who will help you identify your risk factors. Even if you develop heart attack symptoms without knowing your risk factors, you will still receive treatment to restore your cardiac health. Talk to your doctor about understanding your risk factors and how you can prevent them.