He explains, "If someone around you is having any symptoms of a heart attack, rush him to the nearest hospital as soon as possible. There is nothing you can do to help him more than this. Also, as far as possible, call an ambulance instead of using your private vehicle to take the patient to the hospital, as chances of the patient collapsing en route are high."

"If, for some reason, you can't rush the patient to a hospital right away, give him an aspirin immediately. Or put a tablet of nitrate under his tongue. It is likely that the patient will be panicking, so reassure and calm him down until arrangements can be made to take him to a hospital."

What is heart disease?

The heart is a muscle that is nourished by the arteries that run through it. These arteries provide food and oxygen that the heart needs to thrive. If the arteries get blocked, some part of the heart doesn't get the nourishment it needs, and this causes a heart attack. If the condition is not treated immediately, that part of the muscle dies, leaving the heart weaker.

What causes heart disease?

And why are we seeing the victims get younger and younger each decade? The answer lies in a mix of genetics and lifestyle. If you have a history of heart disease in your family, watch out. It means your risk of developing it has been increased by a couple of notches.

Have diabetes? That's a silent killer. It means you need to monitor the health of your heart very closely. Diabetic people risk a 10 percent chance of heart disease anyway. And they can have a heart attack with no symptoms at all!

While you can't do much if you are genetically predisposed to heart disease, you can certainly try to balance it out with your lifestyle choices. Exercise is your best friend. And the good news is that thirty minutes of brisk walking everyday is all your heart asks of you. No elaborate cardio regimes need to be planned! Diet is another thing you need to be careful about -- cut down on salt and fats, pump up the veggies and fiber, and your heart will thank you for it.

Smoking and alcohol intake are bad lifestyle choices that your heart might have to pay the price for. If possible, don't drink at all; if you must, keep it to one or two drinks a day. Smoking is a big no-no, especially if you fall in the high-risk category.

Women are luckier than men when it comes to prevention of heart disease. The female hormones of progesterone and estrogen are natural protectors against heart trouble, but if your lifestyle isn't a healthy one, there's not much those hormones can do for you. Smoker? Man or woman, the chances of your being assailed by heart disease just went up by a whopping six times! According to Dr. Juneja, "In India, women tend to overlook symptoms of heart disease, which leads to irreversible damage. Also, the female hormones act as natural protectors only till they menopause. After that, the risk levels are the same for men and women."

Also see: Get healthy with veggies!