Heart problems may occur at early age

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Heart problems may occur at early age

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American Heart Association says sudden heart problems can also occur much earlier in life.

09 September,2012 07:23 pm

Heart attacks may seem like a senior citizen phenomenon, considering that about 82% of people who die of coronary heart disease are at least 65, according to the American Heart Association. But sudden heart problems can occur much earlier in life, too.Actor Michael Clarke Duncan died Monday at age 54, having never recovered from the heart attack he suffered on July 13.Sage Stallone, son of actor Sylvester Stallone, recently died of atherosclerosis, a condition that brought on a heart attack, according to the Los Angeles County coroner. He was 36.Heart attack risk goes up in men older than 45 and women older than 55, but it can happen even earlier. While lifestyle modifications help reduce risk -- eating a healthy diet, maintaining good blood pressure and normal weight, not smoking -- sometimes its not enough.Family history is a big risk factor that cant be changed. Benders father had a triple bypass surgery more than a year before Benders death, Tofferi said. And men are more likely to have heart attacks than women.