ABC 33/40 - Birmingham News, Weather, SportsMen's Heart Health

A heart healthy alert for men.

Heart disease is the number one killer of men, as well women.

UAB wants men to know that the first sign of coronary heart disease could be death.

Half of the men who die suddenly of heart disease have no previous symptoms.

Men are encouraged to be proactive in recognizing the risk factors and heed the warning.

UAB Cardiologist, Dr. James Taylor says, "Any symptom in the chest sometimes it can be very atypical. Maybe shortness of breath and no chest pain. If somebody had maybe acid reflux and symptoms related to that., if there's a change or seem more severe or something different about it, that would be something important to discuss with your physician."

UAB experts say, men's heart problems start as early as the teenage years.

The hardening of the arteries is caused in general by unhealthy living such as smoking, uncontrolled high blood pressure, obesity, high cholesterol and inactivity.