Avoiding heart attacks.

Byline: F. H. Mughal - Hyderabad

CORONARY artery disease, also called coronary or atherosclerotic heart disease, is a serious condition caused by a buildup of plaque in the coronary arteries. These are the blood vessels that bring oxygen-rich blood to the heart.

The arteries are smooth and elastic. When plaque builds up on their inner walls, it can make them stiff and narrow. This slows blood flow to the heart muscle. The plaque makes the inner walls of the blood vessels sticky.

The heart is then unable to get the blood it needs. Eventually, the decreased blood flow may cause chest pain (angina), shortness of breath, or other coronary artery disease symptoms. Rupture of plaque will lead to a heart attack or sudden cardiac death. A complete blockage can cause a heart attack.

In Pakistan, nearly 46 deaths occur every day due to heart attacks. The sad part is most of these deaths are preventable.

The American Heart Association lists seven simple steps that can prevent a heart attack. In addition to lowering the risk of heart attack, these seven steps can cut the risk of stroke in half, lower the risk of cancer by one-third, and give people the best chance of avoiding dementia.

The American Heart Association calls them 'Life's...