What factors put me at risk for a heart attack (myocardial infarction)?

there are some modifiable and non modifiable risk factors for MI..
modifiable risks include: lifestyle, stress, blood pressure, smoking, blood cholesterol levels.. obesity, lack of exercise and diabetes also contributes to having an MI
non modifiable: gender, age, heredity

Your health care provider will help you determine your personal risk factors. They may include:
鈥igh Blood Lipids (Cholesterol, Triglycerides): Your total cholesterol should be less than 200. However, it is important that you know your "good" cholesterol (HDL) and your "bad" cholesterol (LDL) as well as your triglycerides. Your "good" (HDL) cholesterol should be more than 40 and your "bad" (LDL) cholesterol should be kept less than 100. Triglycerides need to be under 150.
鈥igh Blood Pressure (hypertension): Is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Some people can control this with making dietary changes. Others will require medications as well as dietary changes.
鈥xcess Body Fat: Your goal should be to reach a healthy weight and maintain that weight. Too much body weight puts an excess workload on the heart. A healthy weight decreases the risk for high blood pressure, high blood lipids and decreases the workload on your heart. Check with your doctor before starting an exercise program.
鈥iabetes: People with diabetes are two to four more times likely to have heart disease or stroke. Diabetes can't be cured, but it can be controlled with good eating habits, weight control, exercise and medicine.
鈥moking: Put quite simply, you MUST quit! The single most beneficial thing you can do to reduce your risk of heart disease and lead a healthier life is to quit smoking. Some other benefits are:
oChances of heart attack and death from heart disease are reduced by 50% after staying quit for 1 year.
oRisk of stroke and heart attack is equal to that of a non-smoker after 5 years.
oReduces risk of lung cancer after 2-3 years
鈥nactivity: People who exercise regularly are less likely to develop heart disease and are more likely to survive a heart attack should one occur. If you are not exercising regularly, your exercise program should focus on 30 minutes of aerobic exercise 3-5 days per week. Speak with your doctor before starting an exercise program.

Putting on weight and not doing Exercise.Depression is one of the reason to be very near to a heart attack.

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI or MI), commonly known as a heart attack, is a disease state that occurs when the blood supply to a part of the heart is interrupted. The resulting ischemia or oxygen shortage causes damage and potential death of heart tissue. It is a medical emergency, and the leading cause of death for both men and women all over the world.[1] Important risk factors are a previous history of vascular disease such as atherosclerotic coronary heart disease and/or angina, a previous heart attack or stroke, any previous episodes of abnormal heart rhythms or syncope, older age- especially men over 40 and women over 50, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, the abuse of certain illicit drugs, high triglyceride levels, high LDL ("bad cholesterol") and low HDL ("good cholesterol"), diabetes, high blood pressure, obesity, and chronically high levels of stress in certain persons.

The term myocardial infarction is derived from myocardium (the heart muscle) and infarction (tissue death due to oxygen starvation). The phrase "heart attack" is sometimes used incorrectly to describe sudden cardiac death, which may or may not be the result of acute myocardial infarction.

Classical symptoms of acute myocardial infarction include chest pain, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, palpitations, sweating, and anxiety or a feeling of impending doom. Patients frequently feel suddenly ill. Women often experience different symptoms than men. The most common symptoms of MI in women include shortness of breath, weakness, and fatigue. Approximately one third of all myocardial infarctions are silent, without chest pain or other symptoms.

Immediate treatment for suspected acute myocardial infarction includes oxygen, aspirin, glyceryl trinitrate and pain relief. The patient will receive a number of diagnostic tests, such as an electrocardiogram (ECG, EKG), a chest X-ray and blood tests to detect elevated creatine kinase or troponin levels (these are chemical markers released by damaged tissues, especially the myocardium). Further treatment may include either medications to break down blood clots that block the blood flow to the heart, or mechanically restoring the flow by dilatation or bypass surgery of the blocked coronary artery. Coronary care unit admission allows rapid and safe treatment of complications such as abnormal heart rhythms.

Risk factors

Risk factors for atherosclerosis are generally risk factors for myocardial infarction:[6]

* older age
* male gender[citation needed]
* cigarette smoking
* hypercholesterolemia (more accurately hyperlipoproteinemia, especially high low density lipoprotein and low high density lipoprotein)
* diabetes (with or without insulin resistance)
* high blood pressure
* obesity[7] (defined by a body mass index of more than 30 kg/m2, or alternatively by waist circumference or waist-hip ratio).

Many of these risk factors are modifiable, so many heart attacks can be prevented by maintaining a healthier lifestyle. Physical activity, for example, is associated with a lower risk profile.[8] Non-modifiable risk factors include age, gender, and family history of an early heart attack (before the age of 60), which is thought of as reflecting a genetic predisposition.[6]

Socioeconomic factors such as a shorter education and lower income (particularly in women), and living with a partner may also contribute to the risk of MI.[9] To understand epidemiological study results, it's important to note that many factors associated with MI mediate their risk via other factors. For example, the effect of education is partially based on its effect on income and marital status.[9]

Women who use combined oral contraceptive pills have a modestly increased risk of myocardial infarction, especially in the presence of other risk factors, such as smoking.[10]

Inflammation is known to be an important step in the process of atherosclerotic plaque formation.[11] C-reactive protein (CRP) is a sensitive but non-specific marker for inflammation. Elevated CRP blood levels, especially measured with high sensitivity assays, can predict the risk of MI, as well as stroke and development of diabetes.[11] Moreover, some drugs for MI might also reduce CRP levels. [11] The use of high sensitivity CRP assays as a means of screening the general population is advised against, but it may be used optionally at the physician's discretion, in patients who already present with other risk factors or known coronary artery disease.[12] Whether CRP plays a direct role in atherosclerosis remains uncertain.[11]

Inflammation in periodontal disease may be linked coronary heart disease, and since periodontitis is very common, this could have great consequences for public health.[13] Serological studies measuring antibody levels against typical periodontitis-causing bacteria found that such antibodies were more present in subjects with coronary heart disease.[14] Periodontitis tends to increase blood levels of CRP, fibrinogen and cytokines;[15] thus, periodontitis may mediate its effect on MI risk via other risk factors.[16] Preclinical research suggests that periodontal bacteria can promote aggregation of platelets and promote the formation of foam cells.[17][18] A role for specific periodontal bacteria has been suggested but remains to be established.[19]

Baldness, hair greying, a diagonal earlobe crease[20] and possibly other skin features are independent risk factors for MI. Their role remains controversial; a common denominator of these signs and the risk of MI is supposed, possibly genetic.[21]

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