What are the major and high risk factors of heart disease?
What Are The Major And High Risk Factors Of Heart Disease?
Introduction
Multiple reasons and factors contribute to risk of heart disease. It may be difficult to name a few as the most critical, however, it is possible to list out major and high risk factors of heart disease. Let us look at these factors for greater awareness and suitable measures. This will reduce your risk of heart disease and mitigate the outcomes, in the event of a confirmed condition.
List Of Heart Disease Risk Factors
To begin, let’s take a look at the list of major and recognized risk factors of heart disease.
- Hypertension – high blood pressure can damage arteries and the heart.
- High cholesterol – high levels of LDL cholesterol can cause plaque buildup, increasing risk of heart disease.
- Smoking – is a serious risk factor, damaging blood vessels and reducing oxygen levels in the blood.
- Diabetes – high blood sugar levels damage blood vessels and nerves linked to the heart.
- Obesity – excessive weight, especially around the abdomen, can increase risk of heart disease by facilitating conditions such as diabetes and hypertension.
- Sedentary lifestyle – can result in weight gain and increase risk of heart disease.
- Poor diet – rich in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, and sodium contribute to heart disease.
- Family history – of heart disease increases risk of heart disease.
- Age – is a natural risk for men above 45 years and women above 55 years.
Let us now look at the list of high risk factors of heart disease.
- Chronic stress – can contribute to heart disease.
- Alcohol – can raise blood pressure levels and facilitate other health issues linked to heart disease.
- Sleep apnea – refers to interrupted breathing during sleep, and increases the risk of hypertension and heart disease.
- Inflammatory conditions – such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus contribute to heart disease risk.
- Oral health – is one of the contributing risks of heart disease, as gum disease causes inflammation.
What Are The Risk Factors Of Coronary Heart Disease?
When the coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle end up narrowed or blocked as a result of plaque buildup, coronary heart disease develops. This causes pain in the chest and possible heart attacks. Various risk factors of heart disease contribute to this development and are broadly classified into modifiable and non-modifiable risks.
Modifiable risk factors
This refers to factors that can be either change or controlled to a certain extent to reduce risks, as outlined below:
- Hypertension – high blood pressure damages arteries, contributing to buildup of plaque.
- Cholesterol – high levels of LDL cholesterol and low levels of HDL cholesterol are risk factors for plaque formation.
- Smoking – tobacco causes damage to blood vessels, affecting supply of oxygen to the heart.
- Diabetes – high blood sugar levels damage blood vessels, increasing risk of coronary artery disease.
- Obesity – excessive body weight causes high blood pressure, diabetes, and cholesterol levels.
- Lifestyle – lack of physical activity contributes to risk factors including obesity.
- Diet – a poor diet rich in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, and sodium contributes to development of plaque.
- Alcohol – excessive consumption of alcohol raises blood pressure levels and contributes to other risks.
Non-modifiable risk factors
This refers to factors that cannot be modified to reduce risks, but can only be managed:
- Age – with advancing age, risks increase, especially above 45 for men and above 55 for women.
- Gender – the risk of coronary heart disease is higher for men at younger ages than women. Contrastingly, women are at higher risk post-menopause, and this risk is much higher than the risk men are exposed at younger ages.
- Family history – patients with a family history of heart disease, are at higher risk of developing similar conditions.
- Genetic component – people who are genetically predisposed are at higher risk of developing heart disease.
Can genetic predisposition be checked?
Yes, genetic predisposition can be checked through advanced genetic testing facilities available in Tamil Nadu. Samples of blood or saliva are all that is required for analysis, to generate reports that indicate any genetic predisposition to specific conditions. Based on the reports, suitable interventions can be initiated to manage the risk.
What Are The Risk Factors Of Ischemic Heart Disease?
Various risk factors are responsible for the development of ischemic heart disease. A lot of patients may be at risk due to a combination of different risk factors of heart disease. The conditions that contribute to these risks are listed in the previous section, including the broad categories of modifiable and non-modifiable.
How Much Does Obesity Increase Risk Of Heart Disease?
Obesity is one of the key risk factors of heart disease, mostly because it leads to other risk factors. It directly and indirectly contributes to risks, as listed below:
- Obesity can end up causing high blood pressure levels, increasing risk of heart disease.
- Obesity is linked with high levels of LDL cholesterol and triglycerides, increasing risk of atherosclerosis.
- Obese people can end developing type 2 diabetes, that in turn damages blood vessels, increasing heart disease risk.
- Visceral fat around the abdomen, is linked to chronic inflammation, contributing to risk of heart disease.
- Obesity is one of the main reasons for metabolic syndrome. This refers to a combination of conditions that increase risk of heart disease.
Are There Methods Of Prevention Of Ischemic Heart Disease That Work?
Many methods for preventing ischemic heart disease are considered as effective, and depend largely on the way the approach is implemented. For instance, tackling risk factors of heart disease such as lifestyle changes can considerably reduce risk of developing IHD, as listed below:
- A balanced diet comprising fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats.
- Replace intake of saturated and trans fats, with healthy recommended fat sources.
- Limit intake of sodium.
- Routine physical activity, such as a minimum of 150 minutes per week.
- Manage weight.
- Quit smoking, reduce alcohol consumption drastically.
- Control blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol through medications.
- Routine check-ups.
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Shetty B s a cardiologist in Chennai, with extensive experience in the field. He completed his MBBS from Madurai Kamaraj University, followed by an MD in General Medicine and a DM in Cardiology from The Tamil Nadu Dr. M.G.R. Medical University (TNMGRMU).