Healthy Tips

February 7, 2012

Know your heart disease risk factors

Know your heart disease risk factors. Heart disease remains the #1 killer among U.S. men and women and affects people of all ages and ethnicity. Your heart health depends on many things such as eating and exercise habits, family history and more. Some of these risk factors you can prevent / reduce. American Heart Awareness Month (February) recognizes these risks and spreads the word about good heart health.

Heart disease, also called Coronary Artery Disease (CAD), is a condition in which fatty deposits called plaque build-up in the heart’s arteries. These deposits cause arteries to become narrow and blocked, which restricts blood and oxygen flow to the heart muscle. CAD is the leading cause of death, for both men and women, in the United States.

The best way to prevent heart disease is by eating healthy, exercising often, avoiding smoking and controlling such things as cholesterol and blood pressure. Controlling diabetes and also losing weight will help prevent heart attack. Here are heart disease risk factors you should know about.

Increasing Age – The risks for coronary artery disease increase with age. About 85% of people who die from heart disease are over the age of 65.

Gender - Men have a greater risk for coronary artery disease and are more likely to have heart attacks earlier in life than women. Women’s risk for heart disease increases after menopause, and they are more likely to have angina than men.

Family History - Certain genetic factors increase the likelihood of developing important risk factors, such as diabetes and high blood pressure. Heart disease tends to run in families. People whose parents or siblings developed heart disease at a younger age are more likely to develop it themselves.

Tobacco Smoke - Smoking is the most important risk factor for heart disease. Smoking can cause elevated blood pressure, worsen lipids, and make platelets very sticky, raising the risk of clots. Cigarette smoking may be directly responsible for at least 20% of all deaths from heart disease. Regular exposure to secondhand smoke also increases the risk of heart disease in nonsmokers.

Unhealthy Cholesterol and lipid levels - Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol is the "bad" cholesterol responsible for many heart problems. Triglycerides are another type of lipid (fat molecule) that can be bad for the heart. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol is the "good" cholesterol that helps protect against heart disease. Doctors test for a "total cholesterol" profile that includes measurements for LDL, HDL, and triglycerides. The ratio of these
lipids can affect heart disease risk.

Diabetes - Diabetes, especially for people whose blood sugar levels are not well controlled, significantly increases the risk of developing heart disease. In fact, heart disease and stroke are the leading causes of death in people with diabetes. People with diabetes are also at risk for high blood pressure and unhealthy cholesterol levels, blood clotting problems, and impaired nerve function, all of which can damage the heart.

Lack of Regular Exercise - Exercise has a number of effects that benefit the heart and circulation, including improving cholesterol and lipid levels and maintaining weight control. People who are sedentary are almost twice as likely to suffer heart attacks as are people who exercise regularly.

Overweight / obese - Excess body fat, especially around the waist, can increase the risk for heart disease. Obesity also increases the risk for other conditions (high blood pressure, diabetes) that are associated with heart disease. Obesity is particularly hazardous when it is part of the metabolic syndrome, a pre-diabetic condition that is significantly associated with heart disease.

Hypertension / high blood pressure - High blood pressure (hypertension) is associated with coronary artery disease. A normal blood pressure reading is 120/80 mm Hg or lower. High blood pressure is generally considered to be a blood pressure reading greater than or equal to 140 mm Hg (systolic) or greater than or equal to 90 mm Hg (diastolic). Blood pressure readings in the prehypertension category (120 - 139 systolic or 80 - 89 diastolic) indicate an increased risk for developing hypertension.

Race - African-Americans have the highest risk of heart disease, in part due to their high rates of severe high blood pressure, as well as diabetes and obesity.

If you have any of these risk factors, you should speak with your doctor. Controlling your risks will help you stay in good health and prevent further diseases such as heart attack and stroke. Click here for help making an appointment.

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