One of the leading causes of death in the United States is heart disease. “About every 29 seconds, an American will have a heart attack, and once every minute, an American will die of a heart attack” (Ford-Martin and Odle, 915). According to the Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine, men over 45 and women over 55 are considered at risk for heart disease. Heart disease is a major cause of death. It is beneficial for people seeking to prevent heart disease to recognize the risks leading to heart attacks because they are one of the main indications of developing heart disease; especially those in at-risk age groups. These risks include some that cannot be changed, such as hereditary risks, or those that can change, such as smoking habits. It is very important to know these specific risks for prevention purposes and to understand the symptoms of heart attacks, such as sweating or feeling weak, so that if these or other symptoms appear, people are aware of them. Finally, treating heart disease is vitally important if you experience a heart attack so you can learn how to prevent another one. The heart performs a powerful function in the human body through two main tasks. It pumps oxygen-rich blood throughout the body and “into blood vessels called coronary arteries that carry oxygenated blood directly to the heart muscle” (Katzenstein and Pinã, 2). There are four chambers and valves inside the heart that “help regulate blood flow as it passes through the heart chambers and toward the lungs and body” (Katzenstein Pinã, 2). In the heart, there is the upper chamber known as the atrium (atria) and the lower chamber known as the ventricles. “The auricle receives blood from the lu...... middle of paper ....... 2014. Web. April 2, 2014. “High cholesterol levels”. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention High cholesterol. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, February 28, 2014. Web. April 2, 2014. Katzenstein, Larry and Ileana L. Pinã. Living with Heart Disease: Everything You Need to Know to Protect Your Health and Take Control of Your Life. New York: AARP/Sterling Pub. Co, 2007. Print. “Obesity Information.” Obesity information from the American Heart Association. American Heart Association, February 27, 2014. Web. April 4, 2014 "Smoking and cardiovascular diseases (heart disease)." American Heart Association Smoking and cardiovascular disease (heart disease). American Heart Association, February 17, 2014. Web. April 1, 2014. “Symptoms and diagnosis of a heart attack. » Heart attack symptoms and diagnosis from the American Heart Association. American Heart Association, March 22, 2013. Web. March 29. 2014.