In the Western world, cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death. Yet with rapid medical intervention, survival rates have significantly improved. The question is: how can we prevent it?
The most common form of heart disease is myocardial infarction—a heart attack—caused by an acute blockage in a coronary artery. In Israel, approximately 25,000 people experience a heart attack each year, 60% of them men and 40% women. While most cases occur in individuals aged 65 and older, recent data show a troubling rise among those aged 45–65.
Men typically present with chest, arm, jaw, or back pain, nausea, and sweating. Women, however, may experience subtler symptoms such as heartburn or sudden weakness, often without the classic chest pain. Diabetics may feel only mild discomfort—or none at all.
The immediate danger is arrhythmia, which can lead to cardiac arrest. First aid, including expert CPR and defibrillation, can restore normal heart rhythm.
“A rapid arrhythmia or tachycardia can be secondary to the cardiac event,” explains Professor Barak Zafrir, director of the Esti and Mickey Diamant Cardiac Rehabilitation Center at Rambam Health Care Campus. “CPR can buy time for the patient to reach the hospital, where life-saving catheterizations and medications can reopen the blocked artery. But if intervention is delayed, the chances of successful defibrillation drop significantly.”
Risk factors include high blood pressure, genetics, lifestyle, and environmental influences. While family history cannot be changed, many risks can be minimized by maintaining a healthy lifestyle, eating a balanced diet, keeping weight within a healthy range, staying active, quitting smoking, and monitoring cholesterol, blood sugar, and blood pressure.
Non-modifiable and Modifiable Risk Factors
Several variables increase the risk of heart attack. Genetics, for example, is a non-modifiable risk factor. A family history of heart disease doubles the risk, even when other factors are controlled and early monitoring is essential However, there are several risk factors you can do something about:
- Hypertension: Often symptomless, high blood pressure damages artery walls and accelerates plaque buildup. It’s a major contributor to heart attacks, strokes, and mortality. Risk factors include weight, diet, salt intake, stress, physical inactivity, and genetics.
- Smoking: Heavy smokers face a higher risk of heart attack than non-smokers. Quitting reduces this risk by 40% within two years.
- Diabetes: Diabetics have a 2–4x higher risk of heart attack. Glucose control and newer medications with proven cardiovascular benefits significantly reduce this risk.
- Lipids: High levels of LDL-C (“bad cholesterol”) lead to plaque formation in arteries. Ruptured plaque can block blood flow. Lifestyle changes and statins help lower LDL-C.
- Obesity: Excess weight—especially abdominal—increases blood pressure, glucose, and lipid . Losing just 5–10% of weight improves heart health. New-generation medications offer effective obesity management and reduce cardiac risk.
Guidelines from the Israeli Ministry of Health
Israel’s Ministry of Health recommends regular testing and evaluation as a proactive approach toward the potential for developing heart disease. They recommend doing the following:
- Lipid profile: Every 5 years for men 35+ and women 45+; or annually if risk factors exist.
- Blood pressure: Every 2 years from age 40; often checked at medical visits.
- Basic blood work: Every 2 years; glucose every 3 years from age 45+, annually for diabetics or pre-diabetics.
- Cardiac evaluation: Recommended for high-risk individuals (men 35+, women 45+, smokers, diabetics, hypertensives, or with family history).
- Stress echocardiogram: Only for symptomatic medium/high-risk patients.
Recovery and Rehabilitation
Israel ranks among the top five OECD countries for declining mortality rates from myocardial infarction—thanks to rapid intervention, advanced therapies, and robust rehabilitation programs. In contrast, sudden cardiac arrest remains deadly: only 10% of patients resuscitated outside the hospital survive, and survival drops by 10% for every minute without defibrillation.
“Cardiac rehabilitation is a therapeutic framework included in Israel’s healthcare basket,” says Zafrir. “It’s designed for patients recovering from myocardial infarction, heart failure, or invasive procedures like catheterization or bypass surgery. Our goal to restore optimal function and reduce future risk through a personalized program monitored by a multidisciplinary team.”
Based on a Hebrew language article that first appeared on Ynet.