Heart Disease Information

The American Heart Association has identified several risk factors to help determine the chances of an individual  developing coronary heart disease.  Some of these -- like age, gender, and heredity -- can not be altered, while other factors can be modified to reduce our risks.  The more combined risk factors you have, the greater the chance of developing heart disease.

Risk factors which can be controlled include:

• Tobacco Smoke  The smoker has 2 to 4 times the risk of developing coronary heart disease when compared to nonsmokers.
  
  
• Being Obese or Overweight  Excess weight increases the amount of work the heart must do.  People who have extra body fat, especially if a large amount of it is at the waistline,  are more at risk to develop heart disease even if they have no other risk factors.  Many obese and overweight people may find that they have a difficult time losing weight.  Please check out Better Your Health  for more information about weight loss options. 
   
  
• Sedentary Lifestyle  With the modern conveniences we have today, more and more of us are leading inactive lifestyles. This is another risk factor for coronary heart disease, which can be controlled. Regular physical activity will help prevent heart disease, and the more intensity involved, the better the benefits.
  
  
• High Cholesterol  The risk of coronary heart disease rises in relation to the bodies cholesterol levels.  Diet, exercise and medications are available to help lower your cholesterol levels, and reduce your risk of developing heart disease.
  
  
• High Blood Pressure  High blood pressure -- often called the "Silent Killer" -- increases the heart's workload.  As with controlling cholesterol levels, diet, exercise, and medications are available for the treatment of High Blood Pressure.
  
  
• Stress  Some scientists have observed that an individual's response to stress may be a contributing factor as a risk for developing heart disease.  Stress can also lead the person to increase other risk factors such as, over-eating, or smoking more.
  
  
• Alcohol  Consuming too much alcohol can: raise the blood pressure: cause liver damage; cause irregular heartbeats; and could lead to heart failure. Some studies, however, have shown that moderate alcohol consumption may actually lessen the risk of developing heart disease.