5 Tips To Prevent Heart Disease In Men

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Heart problems, if not handled properly, can cost you your life. Heart disease affects both the genders but here we will be discussing about the prevention of heart disease in men.

Heart disease is a major threat to the male population and it claims thousands of lives throughout the world each year.

Although cardiovascular disease includes many conditions that affect either the function of the heart or the structure of the heart such as coronary artery disease, congenital heart disease, heart failure, pericardial disease, etc, the most common type of heart disease that affects men include coronary heart disease along with heart attack.

Signs and Symptoms of Heart Disease in Men:

Chest Discomfort

Men who suffer from heart disease usually experience chest discomfort especially in the middle of the chest. They may experience this pain on and off. Generally chest discomfort and pain lasts for a few minutes but it may also continue for longer time and may cause significant discomfort and suffering to the patient.

Pain

Another symptom of heart disease commonly experienced by men is pain in the upper body. Pain can afflict the upper back either one or both the arms, and the neck region. Sometimes pain may also be experienced in the abdominal area.

Shortness of Breath

Shortness of breath can occur in men who suffer from heart disease. It is more commonly experienced by the sufferers while doing strenuous activities or vigorous exercises. But do not take it for granted that you cannot experience shortness of breath at any other time. You can be short of breath even at the time of getting out of bed. So if you notice this symptom, you must report it to your doctor.

Cold Sweats

In addition to the symptoms mentioned above, men can also show other symptoms of heart disease such as cold sweats, nausea and lightheadedness.

Risk Factors for Heart Disease in Men:

High Blood Pressure/Triglyceride Levels

Cholesterol is a wax like substance that contributes in narrowing the network of the arteries in your body. When the levels of cholesterol in the body increases, the arteries become narrow and the supply of blood to your heart is hampered. Low Density Lipoprotein i.e. bad cholesterol is mainly responsible for constricting the arteries. When the level of triglycerides (a kind of fat present in blood) rises high, it increases your risk of suffering from heart disease.

Obesity

Men who are obese usually have a high amount of body fat, which is not healthy for your heart. Obesity is closely associated with other health problems like high blood pressure, diabetes and high levels of blood cholesterol and therefore an obese person is at a high risk of developing heart disease.

Use of Illegal Drugs

Men who use stimulant drugs like amphetamines or cocaine are at an increased risk of developing heart disease. This is due to the fact that these illegal drugs, when consumed may cause a spasm of the heart muscles, which may result in a heart attack.

Age

Younger men are less likely to suffer from a heart attack but men who are 45 years of age or above are at a higher risk of suffering from a heart attack.

Smoking and Use of Tobacco

Smoking is one of the major factors contributing to the rise of heart disease in men. This is because smoking as well as prolonged passive smoking causes damage to the interior linings of the arteries which encourages the accumulation of cholesterol on the inner walls of the arteries. This slows down the circulation of blood and may also form blood clots which can prove fatal and lead to a heart attack.

Other Risk Factors

Apart from the above mentioned risk factors, there are other factors which can give rise to heart diseases and these include stress, diabetes, lack of physical activity and family history of heart ailments.

It has been observed that men suffer from heart attacks nearly ten years earlier in their life as Compared to women. Heart attack should be prevented at any cost if you want to live a healthy and happy life. It is true that heart disease is a grave problem but you should not give in and instead try to put up a strong fight to prevent it.

5 Tips to Prevent Heart Disease in Men:

Tip 1

Lack of physical activity is one of the risk factor giving rise rise to heart problems. You can reduce the chances of developing heart disease by following a regular exercise routine. Nothing can be more important than the health of your heart so you must exercise each day for at least half an hour to one hour and increase your physical activity on the weekends when you are a bit free. Increased physical activity and regular exercise will keep your weight in check and keep at bay diabetes and high blood pressure which are bad for your heart.

Tip 2

Smoking is not at all safe for your heart. If you smoke regularly try to quit this bad habit as soon as possible. Don’t think that smokeless tobacco as well as low nicotine cigarettes will do you no harm. These are equally dangerous for your heart.

Tip 3

Taking a healthy diet, especially DASH diet can contribute significantly in preventing heart disease in men. Try to consume a diet that is low in salt, low in fat and also low in cholesterol. Include a variety of fruits and vegetables, particularly green leafy vegetable along with the food sources of omega-3 in your diet to prevent heart disease. Consumption of saturated fats as well as trans fats should be restricted as they raise the chances of coronary artery disease.

Tip 4

You must take every measure to control diabetes and high blood pressure as these two conditions are among the chief causes of heart disease in men.

Tip 5

In the modern world, stress is indispensable but you must learn the techniques to minimize the stress levels and reduce the risk of heart disease. Practice meditation and yoga to calm your mind and do deep breathing breathing exercises to eliminate stress.

Photo Credit: Ragepk.com