It is always wise to stay prepared for any untoward cardiac emergency in view of the rise in the sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) cases worldwide. SCA can be fatal if the person doesn’t receive timely treatment with the lifesaving CPR and Automated External Defibrillator for the process of defibrillation (restarts the ticker through delivery of an electric shock and resets the heart rhythm).
SCAs generally occur due to a
malfunction of the electrical system of the heart. Everyone is prone to SCA,
those with pre-existing heart conditions and even those who did not know they
had an issue with their ticker. Regardless you should take appropriate measures
to lower your chances of SCA/prevent it altogether. Prevention is any day
better than having to witness a sudden cardiac arrest unfold. You would
obviously not want to be taken in its grip or wish it for someone else,
especially a dear one.
To prevent a sudden cardiac
arrest, adopt the following measures:
Eat smart- Eat a diet comprising plenty
of fruits and vegetables while avoiding foods high in saturated fats (processed
and packaged foods), cholesterol, carbohydrates and sugar. Don’t forget to
include fish, such as tuna, salmon in your diet, which has the heart-healthy
omega-3 fats.
Stay active- Aim for
30 minutes of aerobic exercise (walking, swimming) on most days of the week.
Maintain healthy weight-
When your Body Mass Index (BMI) is higher than normal, your ticker takes the
brunt of it. Work towards keeping your weight in a healthy range by developing
and following a fitness regimen that includes healthy diet and exercise.
Quit smoking- Smoking
and drinking are often the hardest vices to quit. But if you want to keep your
heart in good shape, there’s no alternative to quitting these. Smoking
cigarettes and consuming alcohol can enlarge your heart muscle. Not to mention
the spike in your blood pressure that these cause (high blood pressure is a
major heart disease risk factor). All these collectively increase the risk for
a sudden cardiac arrest.
Manage stress- It’s true
you cannot run away from stress- a part and parcel of our lives. But there are
measures you can take to manage stress levels, which include meditation, yoga,
listening to music, practicing deep breathing, etc. Emotional stress is a
leading factor contributing to cardiac arrest.
Coronary artery disease is the
leading cause of SCA. Leading a healthy lifestyle comprising eating healthy foods, exercising regularly
and not smoking; getting regular health checkups, and knowing your risk factors
and working on the factors that can be modified, such as diabetes, high blood
pressure, high LDL (bad) cholesterol, and a sedentary lifestyle, can keep heart
disease at bay, thereby lowering chances of a sudden cardiac arrest.
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