Risk Factors
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NON-MODIFIABLE RISK FACTORS:
Age - Heart disease and stroke become more common as we get older. The
vast majority of people who die of heart disease are 65 or older. Older women
are more likely than men to die within a few weeks following a heart attack.
Gender - Men have a greater risk of developing heart disease compared to
younger pre-menopausal women. (Women catch up as they get older)
Post-menopause - All women will go through menopause at some time in their
life. Whether a woman naturally experiences menopause or has a surgical
menopause, the risk for heart disease increases dramatically post-menopause.
Heredity - Heart disease does run in families. Women who have a relative,
especially female relative or sibling, with heart disease are at an increased risk
of developing heart disease.
Race/Ethnicity – African Americans are at a higher risk for heart disease and
stroke.
MODIFIABLE RISK FACTORS:
Smoking - Cigarette smokers' risk of developing heart disease is 2–4 times
that of nonsmokers. Second hand smoke increases non-smokers’ risk for
developing heart disease also.
High blood cholesterol - Elevated LDL (bad cholesterol) levels increase the
risk for heart attack and stroke. There are two sources affecting cholesterol
levels, your diet and activity level, which you can control, and your genes (family
history), which you cannot control. Other cholesterol levels that increase heart
disease risk are low HDL (healthy cholesterol) and high triglyceride levels.
High blood pressure - The optimal blood pressure for men and women is less
than 120/80mmHg. A consistent blood pressure reading greater than 140/90
mmHg is considered “high blood pressure”.
Physical inactivity - Exercise can help control blood pressure, cholesterol
levels, blood sugar, and weight. The current recommendation is 30 minutes of
exercise on most days of the week. (DAILY IS BETTER!!!)
Overweight/Obesity - Not only being overweight but where you carry excess
weight can increase your risk. If you carry more of your weight in your belly
(apple shape) your risk for diabetes, heart attack and stroke increases.
Diabetes mellitus - Diabetes seriously increases your risk of developing
Stress - Some scientists have noted a relationship between stress and
increased risk for heart disease. Stress can increase your blood pressures and
heart rate and interfere with sleep. People may also respond to increased
stress by over-eating or smoking.
Metabolic Syndrome - This is a clustering of risk factors that increases a
person’s risk for diabetes and heart disease. These include: a blood pressure
over 130/85 mmHg, fasting blood sugar over 100mg/dl, triglyceride level over
150 mg/dl, waist greater than 35 inches in women and 40 inches in men, HDL
(good cholesterol) less than 50 mg/dl in women and less than 40 mg/dl in men.
If you have 3 or more of these risk factors, you fit the criteria for having
metabolic syndrome.
The good news is that all of these risk factors are modifiable!!
Age - Heart disease and stroke become more common as we get older. The
vast majority of people who die of heart disease are 65 or older. Older women
are more likely than men to die within a few weeks following a heart attack.
Gender - Men have a greater risk of developing heart disease compared to
younger pre-menopausal women. (Women catch up as they get older)
Post-menopause - All women will go through menopause at some time in their
life. Whether a woman naturally experiences menopause or has a surgical
menopause, the risk for heart disease increases dramatically post-menopause.
Heredity - Heart disease does run in families. Women who have a relative,
especially female relative or sibling, with heart disease are at an increased risk
of developing heart disease.
Race/Ethnicity – African Americans are at a higher risk for heart disease and
stroke.
MODIFIABLE RISK FACTORS:
Smoking - Cigarette smokers' risk of developing heart disease is 2–4 times
that of nonsmokers. Second hand smoke increases non-smokers’ risk for
developing heart disease also.
High blood cholesterol - Elevated LDL (bad cholesterol) levels increase the
risk for heart attack and stroke. There are two sources affecting cholesterol
levels, your diet and activity level, which you can control, and your genes (family
history), which you cannot control. Other cholesterol levels that increase heart
disease risk are low HDL (healthy cholesterol) and high triglyceride levels.
High blood pressure - The optimal blood pressure for men and women is less
than 120/80mmHg. A consistent blood pressure reading greater than 140/90
mmHg is considered “high blood pressure”.
Physical inactivity - Exercise can help control blood pressure, cholesterol
levels, blood sugar, and weight. The current recommendation is 30 minutes of
exercise on most days of the week. (DAILY IS BETTER!!!)
Overweight/Obesity - Not only being overweight but where you carry excess
weight can increase your risk. If you carry more of your weight in your belly
(apple shape) your risk for diabetes, heart attack and stroke increases.
Diabetes mellitus - Diabetes seriously increases your risk of developing
Stress - Some scientists have noted a relationship between stress and
increased risk for heart disease. Stress can increase your blood pressures and
heart rate and interfere with sleep. People may also respond to increased
stress by over-eating or smoking.
Metabolic Syndrome - This is a clustering of risk factors that increases a
person’s risk for diabetes and heart disease. These include: a blood pressure
over 130/85 mmHg, fasting blood sugar over 100mg/dl, triglyceride level over
150 mg/dl, waist greater than 35 inches in women and 40 inches in men, HDL
(good cholesterol) less than 50 mg/dl in women and less than 40 mg/dl in men.
If you have 3 or more of these risk factors, you fit the criteria for having
metabolic syndrome.
The good news is that all of these risk factors are modifiable!!
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