Heart Disease Risk Factors
There are several characteristics and lifestyle choices that are
firmly linked to an increased risk of developing heart disease.
Of course these are not the only risk factors, we do continue to
learn.
- Age
- Family History
- High levels of LDL cholesterol
- Low levels of HDL cholesterol
- Tobacco use
- Diabetes
- Overweight
- Physical inactivity
There are also some important but less
well established risk factors.
Non-modifiable risk factors
Some of these factors you can not change. It is important to know
how they affect your risk.
Age
The risk of heart disease increases with age. Men over 45 years old
and women over 55 years old are at increased chance of heart problems.
Family History
A family history of early heart disease will increase your risk.
For this factor we will look only at your close family members, your father,
mother, sisters and brothers. Is is important to know if your
grandparents or uncles have had heart disease but there is not as clear a
link to any increase in your risk.
Also if your father had a first heart attack at age 75, this does not
increase your risk as much as if he had it at age 50.
So a family history is counted as a risk if your father or brother had
any heart problems before age 55 or if your mother or sister had any heart
problem before age 65.
Modifiable risk factors
This is where you can make a difference. This group of risk factors
can change and therefore decrease your risk of heart disease.
High levels of LDL cholesterol
There is no doubt that higher levels of cholesterol, and especially the
LDL cholesterol, will increase your risk of heart disease. It is clear
that a LDL of more than 100 mg/dl will increase heart disease. You
will find web sites that get all excited about claiming that cholesterol is
not the only cause of heart disease and that is somewhat true. But
beware of those sites, more often they are trying to sell some magic,
natural, special cure for whatever they claim is the 'real' cause of heart
disease.
Low levels of HDL cholesterol
There is some good cholesterol. The HDL cholesterol is protective
and the more the better. HDL levels below 40 will increase the risk of heart
disease.
Tobacco use
Smoking as well as smokeless tobacco use will increase the risk of heart
disease.
Diabetes
Diabetes has very great effects on the heart and blood vessels. It
is very important that anyone with diabetes do everything they can to keep
their blood sugar as near normal as possible. There is no cure for
diabetes, but tight control will reduce the complications.
Overweight
You can decrease your risk of heart disease by getting to and maintaining
a healthy weight.
Physical inactivity
People who are less physically active have more heart disease.
What is your level of risk?
At your next visit you can ask your doctor to calculate your
heart disease risk. The Framingham risk calculation will give
you a very reliable estimate of your chance of having a heart attack
or other heart disease within the next 10 years.