HEALTH SPECIAL..How to prevent heart disease

How to prevent heart disease
Young people are dying of heart attacks these days, largely because of unhealthy lifestyles. Here are seven metrics you need to consider for ideal heart health . n Quit smoking. You shouldn’t smoke. If you do, quit as soon as possible. Over time, it can cut back your risk of a heart attack by as much as 50 per cent - so you’ll only be half as prone to an attack.
* Exercise for at least 40 minutes every day. Combine aerobic exercises like walking (at least four km/hour) along with some yoga and weight training. The level of activity should be vigorous enough for you to become slightly breathless.

* Eat healthy, including more vegetables, fruit, fish and legumes, and less dairy and meat.

* Keep your blood pressure below 130/80 mmHg. In those older than 50 years, systolic blood pressure (the higher number of the BP reading) of more than 140 mmHg is a much more important heart disease risk factor than diastolic (the lower number). A systolic BP of 120 to 139 mmHg or a diastolic BP of 80 to 89 mmHg is pre-hypertension. It should be managed with lifestyle changes or medicines.

* Control cholesterol. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL or bad cholesterol) should be under 100 mg/dl. High-density lipoprotein (HDL or good cholesterol) should be over 45 mg/dl for men and over 55 mg/dl for women. If your LDL is still too high after about 12 weeks of diet and exercise, consider taking medication. For most people, the first choice is cholesterol-lowering statin drugs that reduce LDL by 18 to 55 per cent, trim triglycerides by seven to 30 per cent, and push up HDL by 5 to 15 per cent. Those with a metabolic syndrome – beer belly, high triglycerides and low HDL – are better off with vitamin B3 or fibric acids.

* Control weight. Target to have a body mass index less than 24, irrespective of your age. Extra weight means that your heart has to work harder to supply blood to your body. A weight loss of 10 per cent or more lowers blood pressure and triglycerides in the blood. In children, excess weight makes them three to five times more likely to have a heart attack or stroke before they reach 65 years.

(Dr RR Kasliwal: Dr Kasliwal is chairman, clinical and preventive cardiology, Medanta Heart Institute The Medicity)