What Increases Risk of Heart Disease
By: Robert NamTotal Views: 179, Word Count: 554,
There are many common form of heart disease like coronary artery disease that causes death in America today. Most of the people are still not aware of what increases the risk of heart diseases, but as per the studies, researchers have found that certain factors play an important role in an individual’s chances of having heart disease. These are called risk factors.
What Increases Risk of Heart Disease?
- For both men and women under 50 years of age, cigarette smoking is the important risk factor for heart diseases.
- Consumption of large amounts of sugar in soft drink and junk food by young people is related with poor cholesterol profiles and poor quality of diet leading to heart disease in adulthood.
- Overweight with the highest levels of intake of sugar had increased signs of insulin resistance.
- Individual who consume high level of added sugar usually have lower good cholesterol levels and higher bad cholesterol and triglyceride levels than those with the lowest intake.
Risk Factors that you can’t Change
- Age: It has been noticed that over 83 percent of people that have died due to coronary heart disease are 65 or more.
- Gender: Men have a high risk of heart attack compared to women, and they have attacks earlier in life. Even after menopause, when death rate of women from heart disease increases, compared to men, it’s not that high
- Heredity: Children having parents with heart disease are likely to get heart disease. Another reason can also be higher rates of obesity and diabetes. Individuals with family history of heart disease have other risk factors also. You can't control your family history just as you can’t control your age, sex and race. Therefore, it's necessary to treat and control any other risk factors you have.
Risks of heart diseases are divided in two factors that are major and contributing factors. At age 70 and beyond, men and women are equally at risk of heart diseases. Usually, risk of heart attack in women increases after menopause.
Smoking cigarette, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, sedentary lifestyle and excessive consumption of fats and sodium all increase the risk of heart diseases in both genders. Excessive alcohol can also lead to an increase in blood pressure, and raises the risk for heart disease as per the U.S. centers for disease control and prevention. There have been certain traits, habits that raise the chance of having heart diseases. These conditions are known as risk factors.
Treating Heart Diseases
There are many tests that your doctor can perform if he finds out any heart disease, blood test, electrocardiogram, Chest X-ray, echocardiogram, heart biopsy, cardiac catheterization, MRI, CT scan, etc. are all tests that check heart disease. When your doctor determines the cause of your heart disease, he will suggest the treatment for the same. However, if you don’t have any idea of what increases risk factors of heart diseases, then it is advisable to talk to your doctor. He will suggest you certain preventing measures that you must take. Besides, take preventive measures like a healthy diet, an exercise routine and avoid cigarettes and alcohol.
About the Author
Dr. Robert Nam is a well known heart specialist and has done postgraduate training in cardiology at the national heart hospital, the London chest hospital and UCL hospital, London. He was also engaged in research at the national heart and lung institute. Nowadays he is working as a consultant cardiologist at UCL hospital, London.
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