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a good heart |
Heart attacks are not confined to the old. Even young men can get a serious heart attack leading to sudden death.
Eighty per cent of all sudden cardiac death is related to coronary heart disease which, in most cases, can be prevented. | without warning
What causes young men to die suddenly?
The most common cause is sudden cardiac death (SCD), of which 80 per cent is related to coronary artery disease, or CAD (see box on right), with or without an acute myocardial infarction (heart attack).Unfortunately over half of sudden cardiac death victims have no prior symptoms. Some patients have chest pain, breathlessness or sweatiness and when these occur in a patient who has a heart problem risk, they should always seek treatment immediately.
An SCD attack is not the same as a heart attack. SCD is caused by an abnormal heart rhythm due to abnormal ‘electrical circuitry’ of the heart. A heart attack is caused by blockage or occlusion of the arteries supplying blood to the heart, causing a portion of the heart muscle to be damaged. This may or may not lead to an SCD attack. It is estimated that 1,000 Singaporeans die from SCD every year, about half of whom are below 60 years old.
recognise these symptoms
• Central or left-sided chest pain often associated with sweating, nausea or breathlessness. The pain is described as something weighing heavily on your chest and is usually brought about by physical or emotional stress. It usually goes away within minutes when the stressful activity is stopped.
• Shortness of breath. Because the heart muscles are damaged by the shortage of blood supply or from a heart attack, it can’t pump blood efficiently to meet the body’s needs.
Discomfort on exertion, jaw tightness on exertion or after meals. These symptoms immediately subside on resting.
• However in anyone who is at high risk for heart disease (eg diabetics, if you have high cholesterol, hypertension, strong family history of heart disease), any chest symptom, even atypical, should be investigated. Diagnosis is made with electrocardiogram and blood tests.
Treatment may involve hospitalisation and ways to restore blood flow in the coronary artery (by angioplasty or thrombolysis).
if you are around...
1. Call the ambulance immediately. Early treatment increases his survival rate.
2. Perform chest compression CPR. This will improve his chances of survival.
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cardiac artery disease
CAD is a common type of heart disease whereby fatty deposits accummulate in the coronary artery and impede the blood flow. Reduced blood flow to your heart can cause chest pain (angina). A sudden, complete blockage can lead to a heart attack.
The problem is that many people who have this form of heart disease are not aware they have it. CAD develops slowly and silently over decades. It can go virtually unnoticed until it produces a heart attack.
You can prevent or slow down CAD by taking steps to improve the health of your heart and blood vessels. Drugs and surgical techniques can open up narrowed coronary arteries, but the best long-term solution is to make lifestyle choices. |
are you in the high-risk group?
Age: Age increases a person’s susceptibility to heart disease.
Gender: Men are three to five times more likely to have coronary heart disease than women. However, the risk for women increases after menopause. By about five to 10 years following menopause, the risk for coronary heart disease for women increases to the same rate as men.
Ethnicity: Compared with Chinese, South Asians (Indians, Sri Lankans, Pakistanis etc) are three times, and Malays are two times more likely to suffer from coronary heart disease.
Obesity: People who have excess body fat – especially located around the waist – are more prone to developing heart disease and stroke even if they have no other risk factors. Excess weight increases the strain on the heart. It also raises blood pressure, blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels, and lowers HDL, ("good" cholesterol levels). It is also associated with the development of Diabetes Mellitus.
Family history: You can be at higher risk of having heart disease if your immediate family members (parents, children, brothers and sisters) have a history of premature heart disease. Certain risk factors tend to run in some families. If there is a history of heart disease in the family, you should try very hard to control your other risk factors too.
"In general all adults should know their family history of heart disease or sudden death. They should know their cholesterol level and know if they have diabetes or hypertension. If these are detected and treated early, coronary artery disease can be reduced."
- Dr Lee Chung Yin, Senior Consultant Cardiologist, National Heart Centre |
preventing SCD
Although SCD by definition occurs unexpectedly, there are ways to prevent it through some simple and effective steps. If you are young or have not developed signs and symptoms of CAD, you should:
1. Watch your weight, eat a healthy diet. Keep your cholesterol level low. Excess cholesterol may be deposited in the arteries, causing them to harden and narrow – blood flow to the heart is reduced or blocked.
2. Exercise regularly.
3. Stop smoking. The nicotine in smoke speeds up heart rate and disturbs the flow of blood and air in the lungs. Carbon monoxide in smoke decreases oxygen carried in the blood to the body, including heart and brain. The tar and cancer-causing substances are deposited in the airways and lungs.
4. Relax. Blood pressure goes up momentarily when you get angry, excited, or are under stress. Constant stress raises the risk of developing high blood pressure, palpitation, insomnia and may contribute to heart attack.
5. Go for regular health checkups.
Those above 40 years old are advised to go for regular heart health screenings. Early treatment improves the chances of preventing or delaying complications. You can also discover your health and fitness levels.
6. Control cardiovascular risk factors
such as hypertension, Diabetes Mellitus and Abnormal Blood Sugar levels.
"If you have any high-risk factor, get your doctor’s advice on how to improve those risk factors, change your lifestyle and dietary habits, and embark on a safe exercise programme."
– Dr Teo Wee Siong, Senior Consultant Cardiologist, National Heart Centre | The National Heart Centre is the national centre for heart disease in Singapore. It’s four departments - Cardiology, Cardiothoracic Surgery, Cardiac Anaesthesia and Cardiac Radiology - provide a one-stop comprehensive range of services for heart, lung and chest problems.
Call: 6436-7840 Email: nhc@nhc.com.sg, www.nhc.com.sg |
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