President's Prescription: Six ways to prevent heart attacks - KCBD.com

An American dies of a heart attack almost every minute of every day. You can't change some risk factors like being a male, over 65, or family history, but you can manage others. Just remember the word W.A.T.C.H.

• W is for Weight. Excess body fat makes the heart work harder and can raise your blood pressure, cholesterol, and risk of diabetes.


• A is for Activity. If you do moderately intense exercise on most days, you'll cut your risk of heart disease and boost your quality of life.


• T is for Tobacco. A smoker has up to four times greater risk of getting heart disease than a non-smoker.


• C is for Cholesterol. It's a great idea to aim for an HDL, but Dr. Mitchell refers to it as "healthy" cholesterol, which is 60 or higher. LDL, which is "lousy" cholesterol, should be less than 130 for most of us, but well below 100 in people with heart disease. It's also a smart idea to get your triglycerides under 150.


• Finally, H is for High blood pressure. Buy a monitor at the pharmacy; your reading should be under 120/80. If not, talk to your doctor.

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