What are risk factors for a heart attack?
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Dr. Mehmet Oz answered:If you have risk factors for heart attack, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or excess body weight, see your doctor, who’ll run a complete physical and may want to conduct a stress echocardiogram.
A healthy diet and regular exercise program can play an enormous role in reducing your heart attack risk.
If you have risk factors for heart attack, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or excess body weight, see your doctor, who’ll run a complete physical and may want to conduct a stress echocardiogram. A healthy diet and regular... More -
Heart attack risk increases if you engage in certain lifestyle choices like smoking and drug use. Other risk factors include low physical activity, obesity, and diabetes. Heart attack risk also increases if you have high blood pressure and high blood cholesterol. All of these factors contribute to the accumulation of fatty deposits, called plaques, in the inside of the coronary artery walls. Age and family history are also a risk factor. A man's risk of a heart attack increases after the age of 45 and a woman's risk increases after menopause, around 55 years of age. If a member of your family has heart disease or has had a heart attack, it also increases your risk for a heart attack.Heart attack risk increases if you engage in certain lifestyle choices like smoking and drug use. Other risk factors include low physical activity, obesity, and diabetes. Heart attack risk also increases if you have high blood pressure and high... More
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Dr. Harris McIlwain answered:The risk factors for a heart attack are the following:
1. high blood pressure (hypertension)
2. high blood cholesterol
3. cigarette smoking
4. diet high in trans fats
5. lack of exercise
6. overweight
7. stress, when it is uncontrolled
8. personality, high level of hostility and anger
9. male gender and females after menopause
10. age
11. diabetes mellitus
12. family history, a member who has had a heart attack
The risk factors for a heart attack are the following: 1. high blood pressure (hypertension)2. high blood cholesterol 3. cigarette smoking4. diet high in trans fats 5. lack of exercise6. overweight7. stress, when it is uncontrolled8. personality,... More -
Deb Cordes of Honor Society of Nursing (STTI) answered:Risk factors for a heart attack are inactivity, smoking, obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high blood sugar. It is very important to know your risk factors and discuss with your physician and develop a plan to reduce these risk factors. Lifestyle modifications and diet changes can help reduce your risk of having a heart attack.Risk factors for a heart attack are inactivity, smoking, obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high blood sugar. It is very important to know your risk factors and discuss with your physician and develop a plan to reduce these risk... More -
Riverside Heart and Vascular Center answered:Certain factors, called coronary risk factors, increase your risk of a heart attack. These factors contribute to the unwanted buildup of deposits (atherosclerosis) narrowing arteries including those to your heart. Coronary risk factors include:
• tobacco smoke
• high blood pressure
• high blood cholesterol or triglyceride levels
• lack of physical activity
• obesity
• diabetes
• stress
• alcohol
• family history of heart attack
• higher levels of homocysteine, C-reactive protein and fibrinogen
While reducing or eliminating risk factors can reduce your chance of having a first or a second heart attack, risk factors such as heredity and gender cannot be eliminated. Men are generally at greater risk to have a heart attack than women. For women the risk increases after menopause and usually after age 55. If your father had heart disease before age 55 or your mother before age 65, you are at greater risk for developing heart disease.
Certain factors, called coronary risk factors, increase your risk of a heart attack. These factors contribute to the unwanted buildup of deposits (atherosclerosis) narrowing arteries including those to your heart. Coronary risk factors... More -
High Blood Cholesterol: Cholesterol is a major component of the atherosclerotic plaque (particles of blood, cholesterol, and protein that "clump") that leads to blocked arteries in the heart. These blockages may lead to a heart attack. An elevated level of total cholesterol is associated with an increased risk of coronary atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries) and heart attack. Laboratory testing provides a measure of certain types of circulating fat particles. Elevated levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL or bad cholesterol) are also associated with an increased incidence of both atherosclerosis and heart attack. Total cholesterol levels should be below 200mg/dl.
Diabetes Mellitus: Individuals with diabetes have a substantially greater risk of a heart attack because it adversely affects blood cholesterol levels and increases the rate of plaque buildup.
Hypertension: High blood pressure, or hypertension, has consistently been associated with an increased risk of heart attack.
Smoking: Certain chemicals present in tobacco, or that are inhaled after lighting tobacco, are known to damage blood vessel walls. The body's response to this type of injury elicits the formation of coronary artery disease (CAD). CAD causes less oxygen to get to heart muscle tissue (ischemia) and eventually will lead to a heart attack.
Age: Age may also increase the risk of having a heart attack. Statistics point to the fact that 83% of people who die from heart disease are 65 years of age or older.
Previous history: Having a previous history of angina (chest pain), a previous heart attack, or a surgical procedure such as angioplasty (the insertion of a catheter into the blood vessels and to the heart) may increase the risk of having a heart attack.
Obesity: A high body mass index (BMI), or a high amount of body fat, increases the chances of developing high blood pressure, heart disease, atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries), and diabetes, all of which increase risk factors associated with a heart attack.
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High Blood Cholesterol: Cholesterol is a major component of the atherosclerotic plaque (particles of blood, cholesterol, and protein that "clump") that leads to blocked arteries in the heart. These blockages may lead to a heart attack. An... More -
Early and ongoing heart disease prevention is important. At least 80% of deaths from heart disease and stroke could be avoided, according to the World Heart Federation. Many coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors are preventable and controllable, even if you or someone you love already has CHD. Common risk factors that increase the chances of having a heart attack include:
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Diabetes
- Smoking and secondhand smoke
- Previous heart attack or stroke
- Overweight and obesity
- Poor diet, including foods high in salt, fat, cholesterol, and sugar, and low in fruits and vegetables
- Physical inactivity
Early and ongoing heart disease prevention is important. At least 80% of deaths from heart disease and stroke could be avoided, according to the World Heart Federation. Many coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factors are preventable and... More
