Doctor names preventive factors to help avoid heart disease

CHICAGO This week researchers from the American Heart Association named several steps people can take to protect themselves against heart attacks. Those actions include losing weight, lowering cholesterol quitting smoking and taking one aspirin each day. Researchers said by following these steps, Americans could cut the rate of heart attacks by 36 percent and strokes by 20 percent over the next 30 years.

Rose Marie Robertson, the American Heart Association’s chief science officer and a co-author of the recently-released report, said that millions of lives could be saved by following the AHA’s advice. She continued, saying that not only could lives be prolonged, but every person’s quality of life would be improved by the advised lifestyle adjustments. She said that participating in at least one of the preventive activities listed could benefit around 78 percent of the U.S. adult population.

Researchers from AHA based their report on a mathematical model deriving data from a national survey of health and nutrition and analyzing the effects of preventive actions on the U.S. population over three decades. The AHA worked with the American Cancer Society and the American Diabetes Association to release the findings.

Recently a report from a team of British researchers claimed that persons who drink moderately, eat lots of fruits and vegetables daily, exercise and quit smoking may live up to 14 years longer than those who do none of those things listed.