By Daniel Uduh

Heart attacks don’t just happen. Though it appears to be sudden in some cases, it is medically obvious that there are a lot of factors that lead to such a terrifying health condition. This article is taking a look at those things (health, lifestyle, or nature) that reveal peoples chances of becoming a victim.

Blood is very important to every tissue in the body. This is why it flows to every part of the body. The importance of the blood is that it carries oxygen and minerals to the tissues as it travels around the body. This is why body tissues die and decay as soon as it losses its connection with blood flow. This is the main cause of heart attack. A heart attack happens when blood flow to the heart is been obstructed by some blockage (blood clots) in the blood arteries, leading to the damage of the heart muscles(1). The blood clots are mostly clusters of fats, cholesterol, and other toxic substances that form an obstruction in the arteries sending blood to the heart. This obstruction gets detached from the wall of the arteries as they become much, to form blood clots. These blood clots then travel in the blood to arteries where they get stuck, hence blocking the pathway(2). Symptoms resulting from this can be squeezing pain in the chest or arms spreading to the neck, jaw, and back with time. Also, abdominal pain, cold sweat, tiredness, dizziness, and inability to breathe properly also occur(2). Having said all that, here are the seven signs that show one is at risk of having a heart attack.

1. Smoking

Both smokers and second-hand smokers are at a high risk of having a heart attack. This is because smoking makes the walls of the arteries contract making it hard for the free flow of blood to the body tissue. Having a blood clot to block the blood vessel of a smoker is much easier because of the narrow nature of their veins and arteries.

2. Fatty foods

Foods high in fats and cholesterol can be dangerous to health. When the food is accumulated with cholesterol and gets consumed into the body, it gradually narrows the arteries with many fat deposits bringing about high blood pressure, which in turn leads to a heart attack.

3. Diabetes

Diabetic patients are also possible victims of a heart attack. This is because diabetes reduces the production of insulin from the pancreas that is supposed to help in the reduction of blood sugar. The high sugar level in the blood makes the blood vessels to contract than normal, giving the available blood clot the chance to form blockages(3).

4. Family history

This is also another sign that an individual may be having a heart attack. In some families where parents and grandparents usually have such a condition at age 55(men) upwards and 65(women) upwards, the possibility of such reoccurring is very certain.

5. No exercise

Lack of physical activity can encourage high blood cholesterol which eventually leads to blockage of blood vessels.

6. Stress

This normally occurs when the body, as well as the mind, is deprived of adequate rest. Stress is known to stimulate toxic substances in the body known as the stress hormones. This causes an increase in blood pressure leading to a heart attack as the stress persists(3).

7. Illicit drug

The use of tobacco, cocaine, and other illicit drugs can be harmful to health because of their chances of forming spasm of the coronary artery, resulting in the difficulty in blood flow to the heart muscles(2). Spasm is simply a painful uncontrollable muscle contraction. While coronary artery is the artery that takes blood to the heart.

Thank you for reading. Please share with your friends and family.

Sources: (1). http://www.upbeat.org/, (2) http://www.mayoclinic.org/, (3) http://www.webmd.com