Numerous studies and medical tests show that men suffer heart attacks twice as often as women during their lifetime, and factors such as old age and a history of heart disease in the family increase the risk of heart attacks.
While heart attack and cardiac arrest are both medical emergencies, they have different conditions.
A heart attack is caused by a blockage of blood flow to the heart and usually causes severe pain, weakness and discomfort in the neck or jaw.
Cardiac arrest occurs when the heart stops beating due to a defect in the electrical system and leads to a sudden loss of consciousness, low pulse and cessation of breathing. This state sometimes occurs after a heart attack or as a result of some diseases.
Danger signs in men that should not be ignored
For a person having a heart attack, even a few minutes are vital.
In cases where the heart attack is not severe, the warning signs of a heart attack start gradually and then increase in intensity.
If you experience any of the following, be sure to call an emergency room:
– Angina or chest pain occurs in the center of the chest. This pain usually lasts for more than a few minutes and goes away. A person with this pain describes it as a feeling of fullness, pain, or unpleasant pressure.
– Discomfort or pain in the jaw, neck, back, stomach, or one or both arms
Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort
– Cold sweat
– Nausea or vomiting
– Lightheadedness or fainting
American doctors say that the average age of the first heart attack in men in the United States is usually 65 years. However, a heart attack can happen to anyone at any age. A heart attack occurs in four to 10 percent of US men before the age of 45.
Why do men have more heart attacks?
Medical research shows that men are almost twice as likely to have a heart attack during their lifetime as women. Old age and family history of heart disease increase the risk of heart attack.
Factors that make men more likely to have a heart attack than women include:
– blood pressure
High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart disease and heart attacks. Research shows that this rate is higher in men and increases in women after menopause.
Also, men are less aware of high blood pressure than women, and for this reason, it is possible to spend more time with the problem of high blood pressure – without knowing it.
– Stress
One of the important factors in having a heart attack is the amount of stress that men face.
Research shows that middle-aged men who worry a lot are more likely to face heart attack factors such as obesity, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol, which lead to heart disease as they age.
– smoking
Another risk factor for heart attacks is smoking, which narrows blood vessels. Generally, men are more likely to smoke than women.
– physical activity
Another risk factor in having a heart attack is lack of physical activity and mobility. According to research, men who have little physical activity have a 36.2% risk of heart attack. This risk rate is 31.6% in men who have adequate physical activity.
To prevent heart attacks, men are advised to regularly control their blood pressure, quit smoking and use tobacco products, and increase physical activity.
Experts also recommend that men follow a healthy diet and go for relaxation and stress reduction techniques such as yoga and meditation.
