Hospiten tells us about the importance of prevention in cardiovascular diseases

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death in developed countries. Within them, the one that causes the most deaths is myocardial infarction, closely followed by stroke.

However, it should be noted that 90% of heart attacks can be prevented. This is because in 90% of cases, myocardial infarctions are associated with risk factors such as smoking, high cholesterol, hypertension, diabetes, and obesity. Action can be taken and even corrected on these factors.

It should be noted that in most cases, a person’s cardiovascular risk is not due to a single factor. In these cases, the resulting cardiovascular risk from these factors is not the sum of them, but the risk multiplies.

There are six fundamental pillars on which we can act:

1. Sedentary behavior. It is recommended to engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week or 75 minutes of intense activity.
2. Cholesterol levels. Excess cholesterol is deposited on the artery wall and contributes to its progressive narrowing. To control these levels, in addition to physical activity, we must follow a diet rich in vegetables, fruits, and fish.
3. Weight. It is also key to monitor our weight, as obesity is an important risk factor that is also related to other risk factors and diseases such as diabetes and high blood pressure. Abdominal obesity is the one most associated with myocardial infarction risk. It is recommended that men should keep their waist below 102 cm in circumference and women below 88 cm.
4. Blood pressure. If a person is hypertensive, it is essential to monitor their blood pressure so that it does not exceed the recommended figures (13/80mmHg).
5. Diabetes mellitus: hemoglobin A1c should be below 7%.
6. Tobacco accelerates atherosclerosis. Hence the importance of staying away from tobacco or trying to quit smoking if we are smokers.

In people who have already suffered a first myocardial infarction, the control goals of these parameters are stricter, and all these figures must be lower.

The conclusion is that 80% of the heart attack risk can be eliminated just by quitting smoking, with regular physical exercise and a healthy diet rich in fruits and vegetables.

It is also important to have periodic check-ups marked by the specialist, as if an altered risk factor is detected, it is almost always possible to act to correct it and counteract cardiovascular risk.

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