06/09/2022
On TV, heart attacks are often depicted as a clutching of the chest by the actor in pain. A heart attack, or Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI), occurs when blood flow to the heart is restricted due to narrowing of arteries. In reality, not everyone with AMI will have chest pain. Other common symptoms include breathlessness and breaking out in cold sweat.
According to the Singapore Myocardial Infarction Registry Annual Report 2020 published in June 2022, there were more than 11,000 episodes of AMI reported in 2020. While AMI is most common among those who are in 70 years and above, the trend is rising among those who are younger (40-69 years).
Adopting healthy lifestyle habits, such as avoiding an unhealthy diet, staying active and smoke-free, can help prevent heart attacks. Under the Screen for Life programme by the Health Promotion Board, Singapore, residents can screen regularly for high blood pressure, hyperlipidaemia, obesity, and diabetes – these are risk factors for AMI.
I encourage everyone to go for their health screenings. Prevention is better than cure, and screening is affordable. You can find out more about subsidised screening under Screen for Life programme: https://www.healthhub.sg/programmes/61/Screen_for_Life