One of the leading causes of death in the United States is heart disease. “Approximately every 29 seconds an American will have a heart attack and once a minute an American will die of a heart attack” (Ford-Martin and Odle, 915). According to the Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine, men over the age of 45 and women over the age of 55 are considered at risk for heart disease. Heart disease is a leading cause of death. It is helpful for people trying to prevent heart disease to recognize the risks that lead to heart attacks since they are one of the main indicators of developing heart disease; especially those who fall into the at-risk age groups. These risks consist of some that cannot be changed, such as inherited risks, and those that can change, such as smoking habits. It is very important to know these specific risks for prevention and to understand the symptoms of heart attack, such as sweating or feeling weak, so that people are aware if these or other symptoms occur. Finally, heart disease treatment is vital 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 “blood vessels called coronary arteries carry oxygenated blood directly into the heart muscle” (Katzenstein and Pinã, 2). There are four chambers and valves inside the heart that "help regulate the flow of blood as it travels through the heart's chambers to the lungs and body" (Katzenstein Pinã, 2). Inside the heart there is the upper chamber known as the atrium (atria) and the lower chamber known as the ventricles. “The atrium receives blood from the lu...... middle of paper....... 2014. Web. 02 April 2014."High cholesterol." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention High Cholesterol. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 28 February 2014. Web. 02 April 2014. Katzenstein, Larry and Ileana L. Pinã. Living with heart disease: everything you need to know to safeguard your health and take control of your life. New York: AARP/Sterling Pub. Co, 2007. Print. “About Obesity.” Obesity information from the American Heart Association. American Heart Association, February 27, 2014. Web. April 4, 2014"Smoking and Cardiovascular Disease (Heart Disease)." Smoking and cardiovascular disease from the American Heart Association (heart disease). American Heart Association, February 17, 2014. Web. April 1, 2014."Heart Attack Symptoms and Diagnosis." American Heart Association Heart Attack Symptoms and Diagnosis. American Heart Association, March 22, 2013. Web. March 29. 2014.