There are certain risk factors for heart disease that cannot be controlled, such as your family history, age and gender.
But most of the factors that increase your risk of having a heart attack or developing heart disease, can be controlled. Yes it can be controlled! That is if you are willing to make changes into your diet and lifestyle.
Familiriaze yourself with the following risk factor of heart attack below:
1. Obesity
Obesity is associated with high blood pressure, high triglyceride levels, high blood cholesterol levels and diabetes. Losing just about 10% of your body weight can lower your risk.
2. High Blood Pressure
Over time, high blood pressure can cause damage to the arteries that feed your heart, by accelerating atherosclerosis. Your risk increases even more with high blood pressure that occurs with smoking, obesity, diabetes and high cholesterol.
3. Diabetes
Insulin is a hormone secreted by your pancreas, that allows your body to use glucose, a form of sugar. If you have diabetes, not producing enough insulin or improper respond to insulin, can cause your body’s blood sugar levels to rise. Diabetes, most especially if uncontrolled, can increase your risk of a heart attack.
4. High Triglyceride Levels or High Blood Cholesterol
A high level of LDL or low-density lipoprotein, known as the bad cholesterol is most likely to narrow arteries. Also high level of triglycerides, a type of blood fat related to your diet, also increases the risk of heart attack. It is important that you increase your HDL or high-density lipoprotein, the good cholesterol, to lower heart attack risk.
5. Not being Physically Active
Lack of physical activity can contribute to obesity and high blood cholesterol levels. Individuals who are doing aerobic exercise have better cardiovascular fitness, which decreases their risk for heart attack. Exercise, on the other hand, is also beneficial in lowering high blood pressure.
6. Family History of Heart Disease
A family history of stroke and heart disease not only increases your personal risk, but also plays an important role for prevention. You should inform your doctor if you have a history of heart disease in your family.
7. Smoking
The chemicals present in tobacco causes damage to almost every internal organ in the body, most particularly the heart, blood cells and blood vessels. Smoking increases your chances of developing atherosclerosis, a disease that causes plaque to build up in the arteries, that results to the narrowing and hardening of arteries. As a result, oxygen-rich blood supply becomes limited to organs.
8. Stress
Stress increases your risk of heart attack. The way you respond to stress, can also determine your heart attack risk.
9. Age
Men who are 45 years old or older and women age 55 or older, are more at risk of a heart attack, compared to younger men and women.
10. Illegal Use of Drugs
The use of stimulant drugs, such as amphetamines and cocaine, can trigger a spasm of your coronary arteries, more likely to cause a heart attack.