Ravensong Poetry And Writing Blog by Donovan Baldwin

When heart attacks happen we often are not sure why.  Of course, we understand that certain conditions exist that can predispose us to them, but are there actual "heart attack triggers"?

Well, yes there are.  In fact, we are not surprised to hear this, as Hollywood has used the ploy for decades, and many of us either know someone who has experienced an episode after some event...or maybe have had our own experience.

One night a few years ago, I did a series of stupid things and a few hours later was in the emergency room at the local hospital with atrial fibrillation...not a heart attack per se, but close enough for me.  While I am at risk genetically for this type of event, it was probably precipitated by the stupid acts earlier in the day.

Not all heart attack triggers are the result of stupidity, however.  Sometimes life puts us in the way of the heart attack express, and a recent study, the results of which were reported in <a href="http://www.thelancet.com/" target="_new">The Lancet</a>, has looked into this.

So, what did the study find were the top six heart attack triggers?

1.  Traffic:  Wow!  Big surprise, right?  It doesn't seem to matter, by the way, if you are the driver, a passenger, or riding a bike.  Previous studies have shown that people who work from home and avoid traffic, seem to be healthier even though they may actually work more hours.  Now, don't skip the trip to the grocery, it's a matter of daily exposure and predisposition.  You have to be ready to HAVE a heart attack for traffic to cause it.  However, the daily "rush" (read: sitting in traffic) hour can produce cumulative stress, and, as one researcher has pointed out, in today's world, stress can be considered a universal risk factor for a hell of a lot of health problem...including heart disease.

2.  Physical Activity:  Okay, we're talking "exertion" here.  A stroll around the neighborhood is probably not going to be a deadly event.  In fact, regular exercise can help protect against heart disease and heart attack.  However, if your heart is NOT healthy, or if you are predisposed to a heart attack, physical exertion "could" be a heart attack trigger for you.

3.  Coffee and Alcohol Consumption:  Here's a twist.  In moderate quantities, these two popular drink choices can actually be good for you and protect your heart!  Two cups of coffee a day (early in the day so as not to interfere with sleep), or a couple of glasses of wine, can not only help keep your heart healthy but keep your body younger and your brain more nimble.  However, consumption at higher levels over some time can produce health problems and can precipitate a heart attack.

4.  Air Pollution:  Over time environmental stressors can produce negative health conditions.  The person who is already at risk for a heart attack, however, can be pushed over the edge by air pollution.  Studies have shown that air pollution triggers 4.75 percent of heart attacks among those vulnerable,  This is a relatively low percentage, but, since air pollution is pervasive, there are a great many people at more risk than they imagine.  It's not my fault, by the way, I have driven a Prius since 2006.  Oddly enough, some experts recommend eating the Mediterranean Diet to help cut down on risk from this source.  I'm not sure why the Mediterranean Diet is so important, although it is a healthy way to eat.  I'll have to look deeper into that.

5.  Emotions:  The funny thing is, you would think that positive emotions, such as being happy are a lot less likely to precipitate a heart attack than being mad.  As a fact, strong emotions, good or bad, increase adrenaline output, heart rate, and the stickiness of red blood cells.  These, when combined can trigger heart attack in a susceptible individual. There's still a good reason you should try to experience more positive emotions to ward off heart attacks.  More positive emotions will commonly result in more balanced heart rhythms than negative emotions.  Unbalanced, or disrupted, heart rhythms are a contributing factor in some heart attacks.

6.  Sex:  Hey, it's an intense physical and emotional activity that raises blood pressure and heart rate.  The risk is small, compared to some other heart attack triggers.  The good news is that being in good physical condition (hint: get some other regular exercise as well).

Story:  I had a friend whose husband was the night manager for a hotel in Austin, TX.  One night, he got an emergency call from a room occupied by an elderly couple.  The husband had suffered a fatal heart attack at...shall we say...a very stressful moment (see #6 above).  Later, the manager had to put together the bill and present it to the new widow.  He noticed that one of the last items was an X-rated movie the couple had apparently been "watching" at the fateful moment.

Moral?

Be physically fit and make healthy lifestyle choices.  Simple things such as regular exercise, healthy eating, good sleep, and stress reduction (think: meditation, yoga, or prayer) can help protect you from the heart attack triggers mentioned above.