Heart attack happens when a blockage in a person’s coronary artery causes part of their heart muscle to be starved of blood and oxygen. It requires urgent medical attention to minimise the damage done to the heart muscle. While it is well understood that unhealthy lifestyle decisions can raise a person’s risk of having a heart attack, drawing comparisons and working out the extent of the risks associated have not always been clear. A recent study assessed the threat posed by engaging in a certain sedentary activity.
While it has previously been reported that sitting for long periods of time increases a person’s risk of cardiovascular complications and a shortened life expectancy, recent findings published in the Journal of the American Heart Association suggests that not all types of sitting present the same level of risk.
The study, led by researchers at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, found that leisure-time sitting (while watching TV) – but not sitting at work – was associated with a greater risk of heart disease and death among the study’s more than 3,500 participants.
Notably, the study also found that moderate-to-vigorous exercise may reduce or offset the harmful effects of sedentary television watching.
“Our findings show that how you spend your time outside of work may matter more when it comes to heart health,” said study author Keith M. Diaz, PhD, assistant professor of behavioural medicine at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons and a certified exercise physiologist.
He added: “Even if you have a job that requires you to sit for long periods of time, replacing the time you spend sitting at home with strenuous exercise could reduce your risk of heart disease and death.”
The participants who had logged the most TV-viewing hours had a 50 per cent greater risk
The study followed 3,592 people, all African Americans, living in Jackson, Mississippi, for almost 8.5 years.
The participants reported how much time they typically spent sitting while watching TV and during work.
They also reported how much time they spent exercising in their down time.
The participants who had logged the most TV-viewing hours (four or more hours a day) had a 50 per cent greater risk of cardiovascular events and death compared to those who watched the least amount of TV (less than two hours a day).
In contrast, those who sat the most at work had the same health risks as those who sat the least.
Underscoring the importance of exercise, the study found that even for the most committed TV watchers, moderate to vigorous physical activity – such as walking briskly or doing aerobic exercise – reduced their risk of heart attacks, stroke, or death.
No increased risk of heart attack, stroke, or death was seen in people who watched TV for four or more hours a day and engaged in 150 minutes or more of exercise a week.
This is consistent with a growing body of evidence. Another study published earlier in the year in the European Heart Journal found that high fitness levels halve the risk of having a heart attack in healthy adults.
What are the symptoms of heart attack?
According to the British Heart Foundation, common symptoms of a heart attack include:
- Pain or discomfort in a person’s chest that suddenly occurs and doesn’t go away
- Pain that may spread to a person’s left or right arm, or to their neck, jaw, back or stomach. For some people the pain or tightness is severe, while other people just feel uncomfortable
- Feeling sick, sweaty, light-headed or short of breath
“It’s possible to have a heart attack without experiencing the above symptoms or ‘classic’ chest pain,” explained the BHF.
Adding: “This is more common in the elderly, women, or those with diabetes as the condition can cause nerve damage which can affect how you feel pain.”
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