Find it in your heart…to pay attention to these symptoms.
Heart attacks are most common in people 65 and older, but that doesn’t mean you’re in the clear until you reach retirement age.
There’s been a worrying increase among adults younger than 45, making it even more important to make healthy lifestyle choices and monitor telltale symptoms at every age.
Dr. Hannah Rosenblum, a cardiologist at NewYork-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center, told The Post which signs and symptoms to be on the lookout for in your 40s, 50s an 60s.
Heart disease has been the leading cause of death in the US since the AHA was founded in 1924.
The American Heart Association warns that 61% of American adults will likely develop some type of cardiovascular disease in the next 30 years as high blood pressure, diabetes, and obesity become more common.
“People in their 40s to 60s may be at risk of developing heart disease even if they do not currently have symptoms,” Rosenblum warns.
“They should follow a heart-healthy diet — i.e., low fat, sugar, and salt — and try to get at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity exercise.”
Exercise troubles
In fact, trouble after 40, exercise intolerance or a change in ability to exercise could be a red flag for heart disease.
“If you are usually able to run 3 miles but suddenly notice you are short of breath or have chest pain with exercise, you should see a cardiologist,” the doc said.
Exercise is critical to cardiovascular health as it strengthens the heart muscle, making it more efficient at pumping blood, lowers cholesterol, and contributes to weight loss.
Rosenblum’s advice echoes the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, which states that adults should aim for 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity and two days of muscle strengthening a week.
“In addition to the cardiovascular benefits, improvements in cognitive function and memory, mood, and stress, as well as longevity, have all been documented,” Ohio-based cardiologist Dr. David Sabgir previously told The Post.
Bad diet, bad habits
While exercise and a heart-healthy diet decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease, smoking, sugar, and anger amplify it.
Smokers are nearly twice as likely to have a heart attack as nonsmokers.
Passing on puffing and cutting back on sugar and rage provide a strong foundation, but to further guard against heart disease, Rosenblum recommends that folks see their primary care physicians for risk assessment and routine screenings for blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes.
“Many patients in this age group who start to develop cardiovascular disease may not have symptoms,” she said.
Different risk factors for women
“Specifically for women in this age group, risk changes during menopause with hormone fluctuations, so it is important to make sure to get blood pressure, cholesterol and A1C checked,” the doc added.
Nearly 45% of women over 20 years old are living with some form of cardiovascular disease.
Gender-specific risk factors include menstrual history and adverse pregnancy outcomes, anxiety and depression, and increased risk due to specific treatments for breast cancer and rheumatologic conditions.
If you have a family history of heart attack or stroke in men before 55 or women before 65, Rosenblum recommends seeing a cardiologist for advanced screening and discourse on how to lower your risk and preventative medication if necessary.
While chest pain is the most commonly reported symptom of a heart attack, Dr. Guruprasad “Guru” Srinivas, director of Cardiac Rehab at Northwell Staten Island University Hospital, recently told The Post that atypical signs can include tooth pain, nausea/indigestion, sweating, fatigue and most concerning, no symptoms at all, putting them at risk for a silent heart attack.
