Many of those deaths could be prevented if people would take better care of their hearts. Think of your heart as the engine the keeps your body going. Every day it beats about 100,000 times, pumping some 2,000 gallons of blood. Like your car, your body's engine needs care to continue working properly. Unfortunately, the same people who make sure they change their car's oil and use the proper gasoline often fuel their bodies with high-fat meals, smoke and alcohol.
Smokers have two to ten times the risk for heart attacks for several reasons.
Smoking deprives the heart of oxygen, encourages the blood to clot, promotes irregular heartbeats, and injures the lining of the arteries. Quitting can dramatically lower your risk. The benefits begin as soon as you stop smoking and after ten years, your risk of heart disease is nearly as low as that of non-smokers. The more overweight you are the greater the risk for heart disease. Extra weight strains the heart and adversely affects other risk factors like high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes.