The DASH diet and myocardial infarction

Damage to the heart after a heart attack is irreversible if treatment is not immediately sought.  The myocardial infarction risk factors are high blood cholesterol, high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, weight (obesity), and family history (Kulick, 2011).  

One of the more common factors leading to myocardial infarction would be plaque.  Plaque can build up in the walls of the arteries, blocking off the flow of blood to the heart (Chen and Zieve, 2011).   A normal total cholesterol level is less than 200 mg/dl and borderline high cholesterol is 200-239 mg/dl (VanArsdale, 2011).  The higher the cholesterol levels, the more at risk a person is.  

High blood pressure is another common risk factor.  Stage 1 high blood pressure is 140-159 systolic (the top number, or the blood pressure when the heart beats while pumping blood) or 90-99 diastolic (the bottom number, or the blood pressure between beats) (NHLBI, 2011).  Also, if a person works a stressful job, his blood pressure may spike at times during the day.

Once a person has suffered a heart attack, care must be taken to ensure he does not stress his system during recovery.  Starting with a liquid diet and then moving up the chain to a regular textured diet would ensure the patient’s system has had time to rest and cleanse in order to avoid further complications.  When a heart-attack patient is stabilized and has been treated, he is generally advised to follow a low-salt, low-fat, low-cholesterol diet (WebMD, 2011).  This diet is designed to help keep the blood pressure and cholesterol levels in check.

It is important to be aware of one's sodium consumption; as well as, being aware of the saturated fats and cholesterol.  According to the Department of Health and Human Services, people who are middle age or older should consume less than 1500mg of sodium a day (WebMD, 2011).   Lowering the sodium in the diet can easily be done by avoiding canned or processed foods, checking the nutritional labels on products for less than 5% daily sodium, and using salt-free seasonings.  Check to see there are enough fruits and vegetables in the diet as well.  Fruits and vegetables are high in potassium, fiber, and magnesium and are low in sodium (WebMD, 2011).  They are excellent sources of heart-healthy foods.

One way to start a healthy nutritional plan after being identified with risk factors or after suffering a heart attack is by following the DASH Diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension).  The DASH Diet is a guideline that has been shown to effectively lower blood pressure, and it would follow the guidelines set by the hospital’s dietician (WebMD, 2011).  The DASH Diet is as follows:

·      7-8 daily servings of grain

·      4-5 daily servings of vegetables

·      4-5 daily servings of fruits

·      2-3 daily servings of low-fat dairy and milk

·      2 or less daily servings of lean meats

·      4-5 daily servings of nuts, seeds, and legumes

·      5 or fewer servings of sweets each week

It is important to make life-style changes or one will increase the risk of suffering another heart attack.  The diet plan that needs to be adopted will help ensure one is eating healthy foods that will help keep the blood pressure and total cholesterol in check.  Starting an exercise program will also help relieve some of the stress from the job and help strengthen the cardio-vascular system.  Both the healthy diet and moderate exercise will help one lose any weight a doctor may have suggested to lose.  All these life-style changes will keep one healthier and help one's blood counts stay in check.

References:

Chen, Michael A. and Zieve, David (2011).  Heart Attack.  Retrieved December 26, 2011, from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001246/

Kulick, Daniel Lee (2011).  Heart Attack.  Retrieved December 28, 2011, from http://www.medicinenet.com/heart_attack/article.htm

NHLBI (2011). What is High Blood Pressure?  Retrieved on December 28, 2011, from http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/topics/hbp

VanArsdale, Vicki (2011).  A Normal Total Cholesterol.  Retrieved on December 28, 2011, from http://www.livestrong.com/article/250489-a-normal-total-cholesterol/

WebMD (2011).  High Blood Pressure Diet.  Retrieved on December 29, 2011, from http://www.webmd.com/hypertension-high-blood-pressure/guide/high-blood-pressure-diet

WebMD (2011).  Myocardial Infarction.  Retrieved on December 26, 2011, from http://www.emedicine.medscape.com/article/155919-overview