Risk Factors
There are two (2) categories of Risk Factors–Uncontrollable and Controllable.
Uncontrollable Risk Factors Include: Gender (Men 45 years and older; Women 60 years and older) and a Family History of High Cholesterol or Heart Disease
Controllable Risk Factors Include: High blood pressure (Hypertension), High Cholesterol (Hypercholesterolemia), Smoking/Tobacco Use, Diet, Exercise, Weight Control/ Physical Fitness, Diabetes Mellitus, Stress, Metabolic Syndrome, Previous Heart Attack or Diagnosis of Heart Disease
The positive news is the Controllable Risk Factors outnumber the Uncontrollable Risk Factors by more than 4:1 and many of the actions we can take to control our Controllable Risk Factors can be summarized in just a few steps, namely Lifestyle and Attitude. Click here to go directly to Prevention Tips.
Lifestyle
Perhaps the most important step you can take to reduce the risk of developing heart disease and dying from a heart attack is to Stop Smoking and/or Tobacco Use.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Tobacco use remains “the single most preventable cause of disease, disability, and death in the United States.”
Smoking is not only a risk factor for Heart Disease but for Cerebrovascular and Peripheral Vascular Disease and Impotence. The benefits of stopping smoking begin as early as 20 minutes after stopping (blood pressure and heart rate drop) and continue thereafter until 15 years later when the risk of heart disease becomes the same as a nonsmoker’s. For example, just one year after stopping smoking, the increased risk of heart disease becomes half of that of a smoker’s. With more time, the risk of stroke and cancers of the lungs, esophagus, throat, mouth, pancreas, bladder and cervix decrease as well.
Diet
Diets that are high in refined sugar, fat, and cholesterol and low in fiber, whole grains, fruits and vegetables are risk factors as well. Alcohol is controversial because in small amounts, it has been shown to increase the body’s good cholesterol (HDL), but in larger amounts, it can increase blood pressure and damage the heart.
Fitness
Increased weight and decreased physical fitness are critical additional factors for heart disease. One tool clinicians use is your Body Mass Index or BMI. It is measured as weight divided by height (Click here for a chart determining your BMI). Furthermore, the location of body fat (abdomen vs. hips) is also an indicator of risk of heart disease as fat in the belly seems to pose more risk that fat around the hips.
An inactive or sedentary lifestyle or decreased physical fitness deconditions the heart and contributes to weight gain, depressed mood, and the development of heart disease.
Metabolic Syndrome
Metabolic Syndrome refers to the combination of risk factors including elevated blood pressure, high cholesterol, increased Body Mass Index (BMI), and elevated sugar levels (not yet diagnosed as Diabetes Mellitus).
Diabetes Mellitus
For individuals with Diabetes Mellitus, numerous studies have shown that uncontrolled glucose or sugar levels lead to the development of complications at a rate much faster than when glucose levels are under good control.
Attitude
Emotional stress does put additional strain on the heart and may aggravate heart disease by increasing blood pressure and the heart’s rate. Furthermore, Emotional Stress may cause the blood vessels of the heart to contract or spasm, leading to chest pain or angina.