Recently someone I know was describing to me what happened the night her husband experienced chest pains and had to be rushed to the hospital. It seemed like a terrifying test for both of them! She shared with me the important steps the doctor told them to take to prevent a heart attack.

The gentleman who was taken by ambulance to the emergency room is in his 40s, has gained a significant amount of weight in recent years, and has high blood pressure and high cholesterol. These are all textbook indicators for heart disease.

Of course, the patient was aware of his weight gain, but attributed it to aging, taking daily blood pressure medication and cholesterol-lowering medication. Although, he was drinking more alcohol than the recommended amount.

In the late afternoon, around 9 p.m., he developed all the classic signs of a heart attack: sharp, stabbing chest pain, stabbing pain in his left side, shortness of breath, and fatigue. He later admitted to his wife that he was afraid and tried to ignore the symptoms in the hope that they would go away.

The pains lasted 2-3 seconds, faded, and then returned. When this lasted 20-30 minutes, his wife called 911. The victim was immediately given nitroglycerin to treat chest pain. Within minutes his discomfort began to subside. An electrocardiogram was performed.

ways to avoid a heart attack

His regular doctor increased the patient’s daily prescription dose for high blood pressure (atenolol) from 50 mg to 100 mg. He also prescribed a diuretic (water pill) to treat high blood pressure and swelling due to excess water in the body. The doctor also wrote a prescription for nitroglycerin tablets. Patients are instructed at the first sign of an angina attack to sit up and place 1 nitroglycerin tablet under the tongue.

The patient’s physician prescribed a low-salt, low-fat diet. The victim was advised to avoid red meat, alcohol, and caffeine. Within a few days of making changes to his diet and taking the new medication, the man reported noticing a noticeable difference in his health and felt a renewed energy level that increased every day.

The best advice is to take all the vital information available on how to stop a heart attack before it happens and start doing the right thing for your health today. Doctors will advise you that it is never too late to start taking steps towards a stronger and healthier heart!