The 40-year-old founder of Yunhai Yao passed away due to a sudden myocardial infarction. The 56-year-old chairman of China Duty Free Group, the 50-year-old chairman of Huarui Group, and the 57-year-old former president of Shuanghui also passed away due to myocardial infarction...
In recent years, the news of a series of entrepreneurs passing away prematurely due to myocardial infarction has been particularly heart-wrenching.
In your forties and fifties, you are in the golden age when life experience, resource accumulation, and creativity intertwine, making you the prime time to lead your enterprise to new heights. However, the symphony of life abruptly ends here, which is deeply regrettable.
Why does myocardial infarction "favor" entrepreneurs? And how can we strengthen our health defenses to avoid the risk of sudden death?
Recently, the author interviewed Director Shu Yue, a cardiac rehabilitation expert at Hainan Chengmei Hospital, regarding this matter.
The superposition of four core risks
Entrepreneurs intentionally target "heart attack" groups
As a young-generation cardiovascular expert, Shu Yue often utilizes big data and AI intelligent models to conduct research and analysis on patient groups. She said that the high incidence of myocardial infarction among entrepreneurs is not accidental, but rather the result of multiple risk factors superimposed in their work and life status. What's worse, this risk hazard, like "cooking a frog in warm water", often accumulates gradually.
Shu Yue analyzed that heart attacks tend to favor entrepreneurs for the following reasons.
one
High-intensity work keeps the heart in a state of "overloaded operation" for a long time
Entrepreneurs generally operate on a "round-the-clock" work schedule, with working 14 to 15 hours a day being the norm, and their lives are often irregular. This can disrupt the human body's biological clock, leading to sustained sympathetic nerve excitation, disrupted circadian rhythm of blood pressure, accelerated heart rate, etc., making the heart function like a "never-ending" pump, constantly under high pressure.
At the same time, excessive fatigue can increase the demand for myocardial blood supply, which is highly prone to trigger coronary artery spasm, laying a hidden danger for myocardial infarction.
two
Chronic stress, as an "emotional toxin," is prone to erode blood vessels
Entrepreneurs face immense operational pressures, constantly in a state of "high stress". This prolonged anxiety and tension prompt the body to continuously secrete "stress hormones" such as cortisol and adrenaline. While these hormones can enhance coping abilities in the short term, they can abrade the vascular endothelium like "sandpaper", making it easier for "bad cholesterol" to deposit, forming atherosclerotic plaques and increasing the risk of acute myocardial infarction.
three
Unhealthy lifestyle habits constantly deplete our health.
Entrepreneurs often engage in high-frequency social engagements, indulging in lavish meals and constantly smoking and drinking. These unhealthy lifestyle habits can elevate triglyceride and cholesterol levels. Alcohol directly irritates myocardial cells, leading to myocardial damage and doubling the risk of thrombosis.
In addition, the "sedentary lifestyle" caused by prolonged sitting at a desk can slow down blood circulation, accumulate metabolic waste in muscles, and further reduce the reserve capacity of the cardiovascular system.
four
Being busy with work, it is easy to overlook warning signals.
It is not without warning signs before a heart attack occurs, yet many entrepreneurs miss the opportunity to "save themselves" due to their "busyness". Some entrepreneurs, being inherently strong-willed, even bear minor ailments.
Shu Yue introduced that she knew a young and successful entrepreneur. One day, when the young entrepreneur was meeting a client for business negotiations, he suddenly felt unwell. His driver advised him to "go to the hospital first", but he insisted on meeting the client first.
During the negotiation, he suddenly suffered a myocardial infarction and could not be saved.
How to avoid myocardial infarction?
"Exclusive" Health Protection Guide for Entrepreneurs
Although myocardial infarction tends to affect entrepreneurs more, it is not unpreventable. By making targeted lifestyle adjustments and emphasizing health management, the risk can be significantly reduced.
How can entrepreneurs avoid the threat of myocardial infarction? Shu Yue reminds us that the key lies in prioritizing health in our work.
Firstly, we should establish a "healthy work boundary" to "slow down" our pace.
In daily work, we should refuse to work "round the clock" and set "unbreakable rest time", such as stopping work after 11 o'clock every night to ensure 7-8 hours of sleep. We should implement the "Pomodoro Technique" (work for 25 minutes and take a break for 5 minutes), avoid prolonged sitting, and get up and move around for 3-5 minutes every hour, stretching, walking, jumping, whatever it is, to give the heart and blood vessels a brief relaxation.
Second, use scientific methods to channel emotions and learn to "decompress" for yourself.
Set aside a "stress-relief time" every day, during which you can completely put aside work. Choose a stress-relief method that suits you, such as mindfulness meditation, light exercise, etc., to calm the sympathetic nervous system. Actively seek "emotional support" and indulge in "venting" when necessary to avoid negative emotions "building up and becoming a disease".
Third, cultivate good habits and integrate healthy details into daily life.
"Four controls" in daily life: control oil, control salt, control alcohol, and control smoking. Eat a light diet, increase intake of vegetables and whole grains.
Maintain a regular exercise routine. No matter how busy you are, make time for physical activity every day. Engage in moderate-intensity aerobic exercises such as brisk walking, swimming, and cycling weekly, complemented by two sessions of strength training using dumbbells and plank exercises, to enhance myocardial contractility and vascular elasticity.
Fourth, undergo regular physical examinations and prioritize daily health "monitoring".
Shu Yue said that there is a famous story about "1" and "0". The entrepreneur's health is "1", and wealth is "0". As long as there is a healthy "1", the more "0"s there are, the more wealth one has. Without the "1", everything else will come back to "0".
Shu Yue suggests that normal healthy individuals should undergo at least one "special physical examination" for heart health every year. If there is a family history of heart disease or underlying conditions such as hypertension or diabetes, relevant physical examinations should be conducted every six months.
Professional matters should be handled by professionals. Shu Yue reminds us that only by undergoing a professional physical examination at a professional medical institution can we detect any signs and take preventive measures.
Don't let "success" come at the expense of "life". Remember, if you experience any discomfort such as chest pain or heart discomfort, seek medical attention promptly.
Expert Introduction
Shu Yue, Deputy Chief Physician
Director of Cardiac Rehabilitation Department
Hainan Free Trade Port E-type Talents
Medical expertise
Skilled in conventional treatment and cardiac rehabilitation therapy for cardiovascular diseases and critically ill patients; exercise therapy and exercise healthcare for hypertension, hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, and heart disease; chronic disease management, cardiorespiratory endurance assessment, and physical training.
Article | Liang Shan