Are You “A Heart Attack Waiting to Happen” (AHAWTH)?
How many times have you heard that expression? We all know someone like this. It’s Uncle John, Grandpa Mike, or your neighbor lady. These individuals LOOK like they could have a heart attack. We all know “that look” don’t we? Middle-aged, overweight, short of breath, smoker, flushed face, high blood pressure.
The truth is that we are all potentially AHAWTH.
Heart attacks are caused by blockages in the arteries of the heart; this can happen even in apparently healthy people. These blockages cause a lack of oxygen to the heart muscle which in turn causes the muscle cells to immediately die and stop contracting. This can stop a beating heart. This “lack of” oxygen is usually due to a sudden blockage in a coronary artery (an artery that carries blood to the heart muscle) in the heart. Blockages are due to the presence of plaques and or inflammation in these arteries. Any kind of blockage in the body is bad news.
Some risk factors for having a heart attack are untreated high blood pressure, overweight/obesity, diabetes, elevated cholesterol, sleep apnea, sedentary lifestyle, family history, and others.
Call today and make your appointment for a cardiovascular risk assessment. Our medical providers will help identify heart attack risk factors, as well as risk factors for other diseases, you may have and create a plan to offset those risk factors.
Resources
- Walkingspree – Have you joined the newest SMSC wellness program yet? Walking improves many aspects of health and by syncing your Fitbit, Apple Watch, or Garmin device, you can earn incentives for getting your steps in!
- Shakopee Dakota Medical Clinic – Schedule an appointment with a provider to talk about your cardiovascular risk score. 952.496.6150
