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| Clinical and statistical studies have identified several factors that increase a person’s risk of having heart disease. Major risk factors are those that research have shown significantly increase the risk of heart disease. Other factors are associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease, but their significance and prevalence haven't yet been precisely determined. They're called contributing risk factors. |
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| Risk factors you cannot change: |
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| Some risk factors cannot be changed. Still, it is important to be aware of them. Awareness gives you an opportunity to educate yourself and also to take measures to safeguard your health as much as possible in other ways. The unchangeable factors affecting your heart health are: |
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- Age: Your risk increases with age.
- Sex: Men of any age, and postmenopausal women, have a greater risk.
- Family History (heredity and race): Heart disease tends to run in families and is more common among some ethnic groups.
- Medical history: Past history of heart problems.
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| Risk factors you can change: |
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High Blood Pressure (hypertension):
Blood pressure is the force of the blood pushing against the walls of the arteries. Your blood pressure is the highest when the heart contracts (while it is pumping blood). This is called systolic pressure. When the heart is relaxing it is called diastolic pressure. Systolic blood pressure and diastolic pressure are equally important. The systolic measurement is on the top and the diastolic is on the bottom (i.e. 120/80). High Blood Pressure causes the heart to work harder, putting you at an increased risk for heart attack, stroke, heart failure, kidney and eye problems. There are no symptoms to identify high blood pressure and therefore many people are unaware that they have it. The only way to detect high blood pressure is to have it checked regularly. |
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| Diastolic |
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| 80 - 90 |
| 90 - 99 |
| 100 or greater |
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Got high blood pressure and want to learn how to control it?
The DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet can help you lower your blood pressure by eating more fruits and vegetables, and less sodium. Learn more here. |
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High Blood Cholesterol:
Cholesterol is a soft, fat-like substance in your body. Cholesterol comes only from animal products or animal by-products such as beef, chicken, eggs, milk, etc. A high level of cholesterol in the blood (240 mg/dL or higher) is a major risk factor for heart attack and also increases your risk of having a stroke. High levels of HDL (“good”) cholesterol lower your risk of heart disease and stroke. People with a low level of HDL cholesterol (<40 mg/dL) have a higher risk of heart attack and stroke. A high LDL level (more than 160 mg/dL or 130 mg/dL or above (if you have two or more risk factors for heart disease) reflects an increased risk of heart disease. That's why LDL cholesterol is often called "bad" cholesterol.
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Smoking:
Quitting smoking lowers a person's risk of heart disease greatly, even after many years of smoking. Learn more about the impact of smoking on heart disease.
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Diabetes:
Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder affecting the body's ability to make or use insulin. Insulin is the hormone that transports glucose (blood sugar) from digested nutrients into the body's cells for energy and growth. There are two types of diabetes, type 1 and type 2. When the body cannot produce insulin, this is called type 1 diabetes. In order to control their blood sugar, the patient must use insulin injections. In type 2 diabetes, the body produces insulin but is unable to process it and/or use it correctly in most cases this may be controlled by diet and exercise.
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Physical Inactivity:
Regular physical activity helps reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke. You can gain health benefits from doing moderate-intensity physical activity for a total of 30 minutes a day on most days.
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Obesity:
Obesity is the second leading cause of preventable death in the United States. Only smoking exceeds obesity in contributing to the total U.S. death rates. The percentage of overweight or obese persons in Utah and the U.S. has increased dramatically over the past 10 years. Adults who are obese are also at a greater risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea, respiratory problems and endometrial, breast, prostate and colon cancer.
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| Contributing Factors for Heart Disease: |
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| Researchers continually discover other factors that seem to relate to Heart Disease. The following are a few of these factors: |
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- Birth control pills
- C-reactive protein
- Alcohol
- Homocysteine
- Metabolic syndrome
- Stress
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| *For Women: Calculate your risk for heart disease using the latest tools available. |
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