Tim Russert has suddenly died at age 58 Friday. After the immediate wave of condolences which followed the death of the acclaimed and beloved journalist, Americans have started to reflect on the dangers of heart attacks which may strike without warning at any time.

Indeed, many American men over 50 are at high risk of cardiovascular events and not enough is done to minimize the chances of a heart attack. Few people understand that coronary heart disease is still the number one killer of men, responsible for more than half of deaths among men. Also, more than half of these deaths are not preceded by any symptoms. About one third of all heart attacks are fatal, while the rest may cause permanent damage.

Tim Russert was at high risk for being hit by a heart attack. It was revealed that he had previously been diagnosed with multiple risk factors for a sudden heart attack, including coronary artery disease and diabetes. Sudden cardiac arrest is a leading killer and little is known or can be done at this point to prevent the silent killer from striking.

Nearly 900 deaths in the United States alone are caused each day by sudden cardiac arrest. It usually follows a heart attack which causes the heart to stop pumping blood properly. Heart attack itself means that there is a cardiovascular issue with blood supply to the heart, usually a clot blocking an artery.

Out-of-hospital cardiac arrests are linked with a dire prognosis, as only a few percent survive. The only thing that can be effectively done is to prevent it from happening, and there are several tips which significantly reduce chances of getting a heart attack. Unfortunately, even though they have been promoted recently, little has been done by the Americans themselves to implement these simple changes.

Most heart problems are caused by ischemic heart disease, characterized by reduced blood supply to the heart muscle, most of the time due to clotting of arteries leading to the heart. There are few factors which can't be helped: age and genetics, first of all. However, there are many other risk factors which can be dealt with.

Quitting smoking, losing weight through a healthy diet, exercising regularly, treating diabetes and hypertension are the most effective means of reducing cardiovascular risks.