Routes to a healthy heart:
Ways to reduce your risk of another heart attack
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Nine simple ways to reduce your risk of another heart attack: |
If you have already had a heart attack, there's a risk that you might have another. The good news is that you can do a lot for yourself to reduce that risk. But you have to start now. Here is some introductory advice on how you can reduce the risk of another heart attack by modifying your lifestyle. This need not mean taking all the fun and enjoyment out of life – it just means making some sensible and simple decisions to help your heart stay healthy.
Doctors and scientists have identified several things – called risk factors – that increase your chance of having a heart attack. The greater number of risk factors you have - and the more severe they are – the greater your chance of another heart attack. Healthy living is about doing something about these things to reduce your risk of having another heart attack.
The important modifiable risk factors for heart attack are:
- Smoking
- High blood cholesterol
- High blood pressure
- Excess alcohol consumption
- Physical inactivity
- Diabetes mellitus
- Obesity and overweight.
There are nine simple steps you can take to help reduce your risk of having another heart attack:
- Eat a healthy diet
- Take more exercise
- Loose excess weight
- Stop smoking
- Drink less alcohol
- Reduce high blood pressure
- Reduce high cholesterol levels
- If diabetic, maintain good control of blood glucose levels
- Keep taking your prescribed medication
Just click on each of the steps for more information and a few ideas that may help you reduce your risk.
