Preventing Arteriosclerosis: The Key to Preventing Myocardial Infarction

There is a word I don’t want to mention called ‘sudden death’. A seemingly healthy person suddenly dies. Acute myocardial infarction is a common cause of sudden death, with an initial mortality rate of about 30%. Even if you arrive at the hospital and receive active treatment, the in-hospital mortality rate is dangerous enough to reach 5-10%. Acute myocardial infarction, which begins with blood clots in the heart vessels, which lifestyle is most dangerous?

◆ Why is the mortality rate so high? What are the bad habits that cause clogged blood vessels?

Acute myocardial infarction is a heart disease in which the coronary artery is suddenly and completely blocked by a blood clot and blood does not flow. According to the Statistics Korea cause of death statistics (2020), the death rate due to cardiovascular disease is the second highest after cancer. Arteriosclerosis, in which blood vessels become narrow and hard due to bad lifestyle, is the main cause.

1) Hypertension-hyperlipidemia in middle age… If you smoke cigarettes

Acute myocardial infarction occurs most often in people in their 40s to 60s and has a high mortality rate. Hypertension-hyperlipidemia has no symptoms, but it is a strong risk signal for vascular disease. However, if you smoke cigarettes, it is no different from taking a risk. Nicotine in cigarettes further narrows blood vessels, so it can hasten the onset of myocardial infarction. Don’t be vigilant because it’s common hypertension-hyperlipidemia, and you should thoroughly manage it and quit smoking.

2) Meat fat – I like grilled intestines… If you eat with salt

If you often eat meat’s scaffolding-intestines, neutral fat-cholesterol sticks to the walls of your blood vessels and causes the pores in your blood vessels to narrow. If you burn and eat the burnt parts, the harmful substances increase even more. If you eat too much salt, the salty ingredient (sodium) can enter your body and raise your blood pressure. People who usually eat a lot of salted foods such as kimchi and salted fish may greatly exceed the recommended amount of salt per day (less than 5g).

3) There is an inheritance of vascular disease in obesity… if you don’t care

Vascular disease is also affected by heredity (family history). If at least one of your parents, siblings, or siblings has been diagnosed with coronary artery disease before the age of 55 for men or before age 65 for women, other family members should also be wary. Obesity is also a risk factor.

◆ Chest pain is common… “If your family knows the symptoms, it will save their lives”

1) Myocardial infarction usually causes pain like squeezing, tightening, or squeezing in the middle of the chest. This lasts for more than 30 minutes and does not improve even with rest.

2) Chest pain spreads to the neck, jaw, shoulder, and left arm, the complexion becomes pale, and cold sweats occur. If the disease progresses a lot, breathing difficulties come, and severe arrhythmia may occur, causing sudden cardiac arrest.

3) If acute myocardial infarction is suspected, do not move and call 119 to go to the hospital emergency room. You should refrain from driving yourself to the hospital.

4) You should not use unverified medicines or waste time at pharmacies, oriental clinics, or private hospitals. Heart necrosis can be reduced if you go to the hospital within 6 hours of onset, and cardiac muscle can be restored in the hospital only if you go to the hospital within 12 hours of onset.

5) Family members and co-workers can save a person’s life if they know the symptoms. Because the patient may become passive due to pain, people around him should actively help.

◆ Damaged heart muscle does not recover… Prevention is the most important

Even if sudden death is avoided in myocardial infarction, the degree of myocardial damage varies depending on the time taken from symptom onset to treatment. According to the health information of the Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, once damaged heart muscle does not recover, complications such as heart failure, arrhythmia, pericarditis, and mitral regurgitation may occur. Long-term heart failure and arrhythmia may occur even after successful treatment, so regular examinations are necessary. Above all, prevention is of the utmost importance.

1) In order to prevent myocardial infarction, it is necessary to prevent arteriosclerosis, which narrows blood vessels. Common risk factors for atherosclerosis are smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes, and hyperlipidemia, which can be reduced if managed well.

2) You must quit smoking and if you have high blood pressure, diabetes, or hyperlipidemia, you must use medication to control it well. Excessive intake of salt, which increases blood pressure and narrows blood vessels, and foods high in neutral fats should also be avoided.

3) Eat a diet rich in fiber, such as fresh vegetables, fruits, and grains that are good for blood purification. Fiber directly lowers cholesterol in the body.

4) Exercise regularly to control obesity. It is good to exercise for at least 30 minutes at a time, at least 3 days a week. Aerobic exercise such as brisk walking, jogging, and swimming is helpful.