5 Ways to Help Prevent a Heart Attack

Heart attacks are a few things: shocking, scary, and largely preventable. The World Heart Federation estimates that 80% of cardiovascular disease cases, including heart attacks, are preventable. 

That’s precisely why David Bolon, MD, offers dedicated care aimed at heart attack prevention here at Manhattan Integrative Cardiovascular in Midtown East Manhattan, New York City. By visiting him, you can get personalized guidance to lower your risk of a cardiac event. 

Generally, though, all people who want to prevent a heart attack benefit from doing the following:

#1: Quitting smoking

When you think about smoking damaging an organ, you probably first picture your lungs. But smoking takes a serious toll on your heart, too. 

Specifically, it damages your heart and blood vessels, contributing to plaque buildup in your arteries (atherosclerosis), which makes it harder for your heart to pump blood. The good news is that quitting now can reduce your risk of atherosclerosis. 

#2: Staying on top of your blood pressure and cholesterol levels

What’s going on in your blood vessels directly impacts your heart. If the pathways for your blood aren’t functioning at their best, your heart gets strained.

With high blood pressure, your heart has to pump harder. This can cause a thickening and enlargement of your left ventricle (a chamber of your heart), which directly links to an increased risk of heart attack. 

Similarly, with high cholesterol, the plaque in your arteries means your heart has to work harder to pump blood. A clot can even develop, entirely blocking an artery, then break apart, causing a heart attack. 

#3: Eating a healthy diet

The food you eat has a direct impact on your cholesterol and blood pressure levels. As a result, diet is one of your most powerful tools in defending against a heart attack. Aim to eat more produce, whole grains, and low-fat protein and less sugar, salt, and unhealthy fat. 

#4: Staying active

Research has directly connected regular physical activity with a lowered risk of a heart attack. Aim to get moving for 150 minutes a week. Anything you enjoy will do the trick, whether that’s a brisk walk, biking, yoga, or something else. 

#5: Getting screened

Knowing your unique risk factors helps you manage them. If you have a family history of high blood pressure, for example, you should monitor that and adopt lifestyle changes to offset that risk. 

We can help. Here at Manhattan Integrative Cardiovascular, Dr. Bolon tailors a screening to help you evaluate your risk. That usually means a blood pressure test paired with lab work to test your cholesterol and other factors that impact your heart health. Depending on your risk factors, Dr. Bolon may recommend additional screening, such as a stress test. 

With screenings on the recommended cadence, you can always stay on top of your heart health and make adjustments when needed. To get started with this kind of focused preventive care, call our office at (716) 303-4738 or book your appointment online today.