Cardiologist clarifies that not everyone who dies suddenly in the Dominican Republic is from a heart attack

SANTO DOMINGO – Cardiologist Dr. Claudia Almonte, from the Diabetes, Obesity, and Specialties Medical Center (CEMDOE), emphasizes the importance of not underestimating symptoms like fatigue, palpitations, chest pain, transient fainting spells, dizziness, and frequent headaches. These symptoms may be signs of heart disease or undetected birth defects.

The specialist highlights that not all sudden deaths are due to heart attacks, so it is essential to undergo periodic preventive and/or control evaluations for underlying diseases in some individuals.

“Sudden deaths can be prevented. In people under 35 years of age, the most common cause is usually congenital heart disease, either electrical (arrhythmias) or anatomical, while, in those over 35 years of age, it is more common for it to be due to a heart attack,” she explains.

She adds that it is important to distinguish between a heart attack, which occurs when an artery in the heart is blocked due to factors such as diabetes, high cholesterol, and smoking, and sudden death itself, which refers to the sudden cessation of vital signs or cardiac arrest.

Among the recommendations she offers to prevent sudden death are undergoing preventive evaluations from an early age (consulting a pediatric cardiologist before the age of 17 and transitioning to an adult cardiologist afterward), not minimizing symptoms, paying attention to them, and seeking medical advice. Additionally, for overall cardiovascular health, it is recommended to reduce alcohol consumption, exercise 3 to 4 times a week, get 7 to 9 hours of sleep, reduce the consumption of foods high in saturated fats, excess sugar, and salt, manage stress with appropriate tools, avoid smoking in any form, and undergo preventive evaluations before engaging in exercises or sports, among other measures.

According to the CEMDOE specialist, risk factors for cardiovascular diseases can be modified, such as not smoking, reducing alcohol consumption, maintaining a healthy weight, knowing your cholesterol, blood sugar, and weight numbers, among others, or non-modifiable factors such as sex, age, race, or hereditary genetics. Therefore, they must be detected in time to understand one’s medical history and prevent complications.