Cardiologist Shares Six Steps to Prevent Heart Disease

Dr. Akniset Srisukwattana, a cardiologist and sports cardiology specialist, shared guidance on heart disease prevention through his Facebook page, expressing sadness each time he learns of someone dying prematurely from heart disease. He stressed that coronary artery disease and cerebrovascular disease do not develop overnight but accumulate gradually from cholesterol deposits, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and smoking. In some cases, symptoms develop slowly as chest pain during exertion, but in others, plaque ruptures can cause sudden heart failure and death.

Heart and cardiovascular disease, along with cancer, are the leading causes of death, ranking first and second. However, coronary artery disease risk can be significantly reduced through screening that detects risk before a cardiac event occurs. The doctor recommends six key areas of focus:

1. High Cholesterol Management: Adjust diet and lifestyle first; if cholesterol remains high, take prescribed medication. Do not disregard medical evidence and miss the opportunity for treatment.

2. Blood Pressure Control: Reduce salt intake, manage weight, exercise regularly, get sufficient sleep, and take medication consistently when indicated, as high blood pressure silently damages blood vessels.

3. Manage Abdominal Fat and Blood Sugar: If overweight with excess abdominal fat, high triglycerides, or high blood sugar, begin reducing and managing weight, as these accelerate inflammation and vessel deterioration.

4. Regular Exercise: Aerobic activities such as brisk walking, cycling, and swimming significantly reduce risk.

5. Quit Smoking: Smoking directly and severely damages blood vessel walls, increases inflammation, and raises heart attack risk. Quitting is one of the most valuable health investments.

6. Appropriate Cardiac Screening: Some people maintain good self-care but carry high genetic risk or family history of high cholesterol, so screening should be tailored to age, symptoms, risk factors, and family history rather than applied uniformly.

The greatest danger is losing the opportunity for treatment—knowing you have risk but failing to follow up, seek treatment, or stopping medication on your own, allowing cholesterol to accumulate in vessels until sudden heart failure occurs. Heart disease is preventable if you pay attention and complete all six steps above. The doctor expressed condolences to Ray McDonald and his family, following news reports of the late actor and broadcaster's death from three-vessel coronary artery blockage.