A heart attack is a medical emergency. Potentially life-threatening, it takes place when blood flow is restricted to the heart. As the heart becomes starved of oxygen and nutrients, part of the heart muscle begins to die. There may be a sign you’re at a higher risk of this occurrence.

Coronary heart disease, sometimes called ischaemic heart disease, can lead to chest pain (angina), heart attacks and heart failure.

This is due to the fact that fatty substances build up in the coronary arteries.

When the fatty substances (called atheroma) line the artery walls, it makes it more difficult for blood to flow around the body.

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It’s when a piece of atheroma breaks off, and a blood clot forms blocking blood flow to the heart, which leads to a heart attack.

Spot the warning signs of coronary heart disease before the deadly disease tries to cut your life short.

Look out for red or purple lines under your nails.

The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) details that as long as you’ve not knocked your fingernails by mistake, these lines could reveal you have coronary heart disease.

The medical name for these lines are splinter haemorrhage, and when present due to coronary heart disease, this symptom occurs alongside high fever and a weak or irregular heart beat.

The AAD outlines another sign in the nails that could reveal you’re suffering from coronary heart disease.

Clubbing – a medical term to describe the downward turned nails and swollen fingers – could also be an indication of the disease.

Additionally, the NHS points out that the most common sign of contrary heart disease is chest pain.

There is a whole array of risk factors that increase someone’s likelihood of developing the disease.

The NHS stress high blood pressure (hypertension) is one risk factor.

Another risk factor is high blood cholesterol, as well as diabetes.

Moreover, smoking significantly increases a person’s risk of the condition.

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The NHS reports smoking increases your risk of developing heart disease by 24 percent.

Other lifestyle factors include living a sedentary lifestyle by not moving around enough.

And being overweight also increases a person’s risk.

To help minimise the risk of developing coronary heart disease – thus dramatically reducing your risk of a heart attack – the NHS has some guidance.

First, the NHS recommends eating a healthy, balanced diet – full of fresh fruit and vegetables.

Second, limit the amount of salt you eat and avoid saturated fats.

Foods high in saturated fat include: meat pies, sausages, hard cheese and butter.

Third, keep to a healthy weight by being more physically active in day-to-day life.

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