Not too long ago, 50 year olds feared of getting heart attacks, while young people sat comfortably eating fatty foods. But a new study by the American Heart Association (AHA) proves that being young does not save you from heart attacks.
In fact, incidents of this medical emergency are starting to rise in the under-50 age group by upto 44%. So whether you are in your 40s, in your 30s, and even in your 20s, you should be wary of your health.
Using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample data, the AHA researchers checked over eight million hospitals and discovered the three main causes of heart attacks in the mentioned age group. These three top causes are:
- Obesity
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
Based on the study, the biggest cause of clogged artery which leads to heart attacks is obesity. Most of these people have high levels of low-density lipoprotein or LDL, which is the so-called bad cholesterol. When there are high levels of this bad cholesterol, this can form plaque buildup on the artery walls. Aside from these two risk factors, other causes that lead to heart attacks are smoking, hypertension, and having low levels of high density lipoprotein or HDL, which is called the good cholesterol.
The National Cholesterol Education Project recommends having cholesterol levels checked even in the early 20s. This can help keep the numbers under control. The reading should not go beyond 200 milligrams per deciliter, especially in middle aged people.
What to do when you have high LDL Cholesterol
If your cholesterol levels are high, some adjustments have to be made immediately, including lifestyle changes such as the following:
- Eat healthier fats from lean meats and olive oil.
- Eat salmon, herring, flaxseeds, almonds, and other foods that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids.
- Increase your intake of soluble fiber found in oats, fruits, veggies, and beans.
Your doctor may also prescribe you with drugs known as statins. But even health experts agree that before you start taking pills, you should take efforts to have a healthier lifestyle by eating healthy and being active.
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