More than 350,000 people die every year from sudden heart attacks.

A sudden heart attack can happen to anyone who has multiple risk factors. physician assistant Mike Frailing lists a few of the most critical ones. "Obesity, sedentary lifestyle, smoking, high blood pressure."

Cardiologist Steven Longobardi says that an additional serious risk factor for serious heart attacks is our resting heart rate. In this case, the lower the better. "If someone had a heart rate in the 90's, over 100 persistently at rest I would be concerned."

Dr. Longobardi also says that high cholesterol levels and a family history of heart disease are also a concern to cardiologists, especially if combined with a high resting heart rate. getting the heart rate down is very important. "The main thing is to have the patient engage in an exercise program after being fully evaluated. Aerobic exercise will bring that heart rate down."

Mike says that while we can't change certain risk factors for a sudden heart attack like age and family history, there are plenty of things we can control. "So we try to focus on the ones that can be changed. Quitting smoking, eating properly."

Even something as simple as a daily walking program can help reduce everyone's risk for a sudden heart attack.

The risk of sudden death is four times higher than normal in men with elevated heart risks.