Heart Care

• Heart attack  (this is the commonest cause of death in India)
• Heart failure
• Arrhythmias
• Valvular heart diseases
• Congenital heart disease

Non-modifiable risk factors:

• Hereditary (risk is increased by 2 times)
• Gender (males> females)
• Age (increases with age)

Modifiable risk factors

• Smoking/ Tobacco chewing
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• High blood cholesterol
• Obesity
• Physical inactivity
• Stress and behavior

Dos

• Avoid smoking
• Avoid excessive  alcohol intake
• Stress and behavioural modification (meditation, yoga, etc.)
• Stay active (regular exercise), loose weight, if needed.
• Regular health check-ups. Take prescribed medications for high blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol.

Don'ts

• Smoking, tobacco chewing
• Excessive alcohol intake
• Stressful lifestyle
• High cholesterol diet
• Physical inactivity, continue to be overweight.
• Avoid visiting the doctor. Let diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol remain untreated.

• Heart attack (this is the commonest cause of death in India)
• Heart failure
• Arrhythmias
• Valvular heart diseases
• Congenital heart diseases

Heart attacks can cause a wide range of symptoms, from mild to intense. Women, the elderly, and people with diabetes are more likely to have subtle or unusual symptoms.Symptoms in adults may include:

• Chest pain
• Usually in the centre of the chest
• Lasts for a few minutes, or comes and goes
• May feel like pressure, squeezing, fullness
• Pain may be felt in other areas of the upper body, such as the jaw, shoulder, one or both arms, back, and stomach area
• Cold sweat
• Light-headedness
• Nausea
• Heartburn 
• Abdominal pain
• Numbness, aching, or tingling in the arm (usually the left arm)
• Shortness of breath
• Weakness or fatigue, particularly in the elderly
• Women are more likely than men to have symptoms of nausea, vomiting, fatigue, back or jaw pain, and shortness of breath, either alone or with chest pain

• Have the person sit down, rest, and try to keep calm
• Loosen any tight clothing
• Ask if the person takes any chest pain medication for a known heart condition
• Help the person take the medication (usually nitroglycerin, which is placed under the tongue)
• Call for emergency medical help
• If the person is unconscious and unresponsive, call for medical help immediately and then begin CPR
• Do not leave the person alone except to call for help, if necessary
• Do not allow the person to deny the symptoms and convince you not to  call for emergency help
• Do not wait to see if the symptoms go away
• Do not give the person anything by mouth unless a heart medication (such as nitroglycerin) has been prescribed