The blockages due to cholesterol and or blood clots inside these coronary arteries cause heart attack.

The cholesterol deposition happens over decades due to the risk factors like, age, family history, diabetes mellitus, smoking (tobacco in any form), high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, lack of exercise, unhealthy food habits, stress, excess alcohol etc which means, we have decades of time to control these risk factors to prevent the blockages. Heart attack is the most common cause of death in the world.

According to Dr Vithal D Bagi, Senior Consultant and Interventional Cardiologist (MD, DM Cardiology, DNB Cardiology) at Apollo Hospitals in Bangalore, for the first step in prevention, some lifestyle modification should start very early in life to prevent cholesterol depositions:

• Eating balanced diet (avoiding junk/fast, unhealthy food/preserved food/high calorie food)

• Quitting sedentary lifestyle (Regular exercise at least 30 minutes per day).

• Controlling stress (adequate rest, sound sleep, positive attitude towards life).

• Stop smoking, controlling diabetes, hypertension, high blood cholesterol with medicines.

• Periodic health check-ups including ECG, echocardiogram, treadmill test, CT coronary angiogram to identify blocks in early stage.

Source: Hindustan Times