Heart disease is the number one killer of men and women in the United States. Although there are some predisposing factors that cannot be controlled, many risk factors that contribute to heart disease can be managed.
Age and Heredity
Age plays an important role in heart disease. Most heart disease develops after the age of 65. The average age of a heart attack for men is 66 and for women is 70 years old. Many of the factors that lead to heart disease may be in place prior to 65, but the development of the disease doesn't actually occur until later or it isn't detected earlier. Women tend to be protected by natural estrogen until menopause. After menopause, they become at risk for developing heart disease. Heart disease that occurs at younger ages in both genders could be due to heredity. Persons who have a prior history of heart disease are at greater risk of heart disease recurring or having complications from previous damage done by the disease. Smoking, high blood pressure and even illicit drug use also can cause heart disease, even at a young age.
Gender and Race
Men are more likely to develop heart disease than women. One in four men over the age of 65 have some extent of heart disease. Women are, however, more likely to die from a heart attack than men.
38 percent of women die within the first year of their first detected heart attack versus 25 percent of men. African-American and Latino races have significantly higher risks of heart attacks in men and women. High blood pressure and obesity are more common in black and Latin men and women, predisposing them to heart disease. More black women smoke than white women, also making them at greater risk.
Smoking
Smokers have a 2 to 4 times greater chance of developing heart disease than nonsmokers. Quitting smoking greatly improves the chance of having a heart attack. Smoking contributes to hardening of the arterial walls of the heart and thickening of the blood, leading to blood clots that cause heart attacks and narrowing of the blood vessels that supply the heart muscle with blood. Obviously, the more a person smokes, the more likely this will cause heart disease.
Obesity and Inactivity
Obesity, especially carrying around a lot of extra belly fat, is known to greatly increase the chance of heart disease. The heart is a muscle. Just like other muscles, it needs strengthening and exercise. As the heart pumps faster and stronger with exercise, it gets stronger itself. A lack of exercise and carrying around extra weight only makes the heart work harder; it does not make the heart more efficient. Exercise keeps the blood vessels open and the blood flowing properly.
Diabetes and High Blood Pressure
Diabetes and high blood pressure both work to harden the arteries of the heart and the rest of the body. Strictly controlling blood sugar and blood pressure will help control the damaging effects on the heart and other organs, such as the kidneys. Seventy-five percent of all diabetics die from heart disease or blood vessel disease.
Diet and Cholesterol
We live in a fast food era. Along with fast food, comes unhealthy choices in many cases. Controlling the amount of fat, salt and cholesterol ingested will help control the amount of cholesterol that builds up in the blood vessels of the heart. HDL (High Density Lipids) are the good fats. Nuts, olive oils and fish are excellent sources of the good fats. LDL (Low Density Lipids) are the bad fats, often seen super-sized at the hamburger joint. The high density fats clean arteries out, while the low density fats stick to the artery walls, clogging them up. Diet plays a crucial role in controlling lipids, but so does heredity. Medication may be needed to help lower cholesterol levels.
C-Reactive Protein
People with an elevated C-Reative Protein are three times more likely to develop heart disease. C-Reactive Protein levels are elevated in persons with chronic inflammatory situations. Physicians can monitor these levels and help control the causes of the inflammation and hopefully prevent heart disease from developing.
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