• Question: Why do people who are fit have heart attacks even if they don't do a job which involves more pressure on your heart?

    Asked by ells8 to clairemarieroberts, Faye, Martin, Mus, Pete on 23 Apr 2012.
    • Photo: Pete Etchells

      Pete Etchells answered on 23 Apr 2012:

      Thanks for the question, ells8. Generally, regular exercise and a healthy diet is a good way of preventing heart attacks. However, heart attacks can some times be caused by genetic factors – for example, if there is a history of people in your family having heart attacks at an early age, then you might be at a greater risk of having a heart attack, even if you’re really fit. Also, it’s not just physical pressure on your heart that can cause heart attacks. If you’re under a lot of stress at work, that can cause them too.

    • Photo: Faye Didymus

      Faye Didymus answered on 23 Apr 2012:

      Hi ells8. Unfortunately heart attacks can (in theory) happen to anyone at any time. Do you remember the recent incident with Fabrice Muamba who collapsed during a football game? He is one example of a seemingly fit and healthy person who had a “cardiac arrest” quite suddenly. It was a heartbreaking story but he has made a fantastic recovery. In the field of sport there has been lots of scientific research on why athletes may experience a heart attack and even die suddenly but I don’t think there is any easy conclusion as to why this might happen. The long and short of it is that if you are fit and healthy (do plenty of exercise and eat a balanced diet), maintain a healthy work/life balance, and you have no history of heart disease in your family then you are probably doing everything you can to reduce your risk.

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