Risk Factors for
Cardiovascular Disease
Age: "I'm 70 years old. I've lived this long, I won't have a heart attack" - Guess again! Men past the age of 45 and women after 55 are at higher risk... and the risk just keeps going up. The older you get the more likely you will have a heart attack or stroke. You are never too old to lower your risk!
Diabetes: If you were just diagnosed with diabetes, there is a 50% chance you already have advanced cardiovascular disease and will need an angioplasty or bypass surgery, and 75-85% of all diabetics will die from cardiovascular disease.
Smoking: 1 in 3 smokers will die from a disease directly related to tobacco. Be it heart attack, stroke or lung cancer. Cigarettes are the only consumer product that, if used as directed, will kill you!
Family History: Listen closely! If your father or brother had cardiovascular disease (heart attack, stroke, angioplasty or bypass) before the age of 55, or your mother or sister had cardiovascular disease before the age of 65, you may have a significant family history. You should start watching and treating your cholesterol and blood pressure in your 20's (or earlier), and don't forget to exercise, eat right and not smoke (we should all be doing this anyway). If you mother had mitral valve prolapse or you grandfather had atrial fibrillation or your father died from a heart attack at age 75...this does not count! Also, if your father had heart disease "early" in life, but he smoked and had diabetes (and neither applies to you), you should not expect to follow in his footsteps. People with really bad genes typically develop heart disease in their 30's or 40's. Once you reach your 60's you probably cannot blame your genes. Many experst believe that cardiovascular disease is only 10-20% genetic and 80-90% lifestyle.
Cholesterol: You can't have cardiovascular disease without cholesterol. The bad news is that if you have any of these other risk factors, you can still suffer from advanced cardiovascular disease even if your cholesterol levels are "normal". Over 50% of all people who have a heart attack or stroke had an LDL between 76-123 mg/dL. Cholesterol lowering is important for young, middle-aged, and older adults. One out of every 2 men and 1 out of every 3 women will develop heart disease sometime in their life. Over 50% of women over the age of 65 will die from cardiovascular disease. Whether you have heart disease or want to prevent it, you can reduce your risk for having a heart attack by lowering your cholesterol level.Click here to determine your optimal cholesterol levels.
High Blood Pressure: There are no symptoms from high blood pressure and blood pressure keeps going up with age, so have it checked regularly. High blood pressure is also the major cause of strokes. New research is showing that a "normal" blood pressure of 120/80 is not as safe as a blood pressure of 110/70 or lower. The only time your blood pressure is too low is when you stand up and pass out.
Poor Physical Fitness: Poor physical fitness, or physical inactivity, kills more people in America than any other single cause. Exercise helps prevent or treat many illnesses...heart attack, stroke, diabetes, abnormal cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, cancers, arthritis, osteoporosis, depression, erectile dysfunction, obesity, low back pain, etc, etc. Physical fitness is the single best way to avoid diseases and premature death.
Obesity: Being overweight or obese increases the risk of diabetes, abnormal cholesterol levels and high blood pressure (among many, many other health problems and diseases). The two causes of obesity are 1) eating too many calories, and 2) not getting enough physical activity or exercise. By the way, you are better off being 20 pounds overweight and physically fit than being an ideal weight and unfit (better read that again so you have it correct). Body Mass Index (BMI) is a height/weight scale for men and women to assess your risk of health or disease risk. A BMI of under 25 is normal, 25-30 is overweight, and over 30 is obese. Calculate your BMI here.
Hostile Personality (Stress/Anxiety): Having a lot of stress or not being able to control your stress can be very bad for your health. A hostile personality, losing your temper easily, is even worse. "Grant me the serenity to accept the thing I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference." If this pearl of wisdom is out of your reach, you may want to consult a good mental health counselor.
