Playing the Odds: Heart Attack Risk Factors

09/19/07 Nutrition & Exercise, Living Well, Prevention, Research, Disease Basics, General

Researchers compared that half of the sample group to the other half which had never had heart attacks. When they compared the two groups, researchers found nine modifiable risk factors that were associated with an increased risk of heart attack. They are:

• High cholesterol
• Smoking
• Diabetes
• Hypertension
• Abdominal obesity
• Psychosocial(stress, depression)
• Failure to eat fruits and vegetables daily
• Failure to exercise
• Failure to consume alcohol

Researchers estimate that these nine risk factors alone were responsible for more than 90 percent of the heart attacks seen in the patients they studied. Luckily, as earlier stated, these risk factors can be modified. Health experts recommend the following:

For high cholesterol: The American Heart Association encourages all adults over the age of 20 to have their cholesterol checked at least once every five years. If it is high, changing diet and increasing exercise can elevate levels of HDL (good) cholesterol and help control levels of LDL (bad) cholesterol. In some cases, doctors may prescribe statins, or medications that help the body eliminate more LDL cholesterol from the bloodstream.

Smoking: Stopping smoking will help decrease cholesterol as well. Smokers are two to four times more likely to develop coronary heart disease than nonsmokers.

Diabetes: Controlling diabetes and managing blood sugar levels will decrease damage to the heart. High blood glucose levels contribute to fatty buildup on artery and vessel walls, which can lead to decreased blood flow and blockage, key elements of heart attack.

Hypertension: Also known as high blood pressure, hypertension increases the pressure of the blood against artery walls. It increases the workload on the heart and can also contribute to the risk of developing deposits on artery walls. Those deposits can block arteries and cause heart attack.

Abdominal Obesity: Recent studies have proven that the worst kind of fat to have on the body is fat on the abdomen. A larger waist-to-hip ratio means a greater risk of diseased arteries. People with larger ratios have more atherosclerosis, or plaque buildup, on artery walls—a considerable risk factor of heart attack.

Stress and Depression: Stress releases hormones into the body that can increase blood pressure, heart rate, and cholesterol levels. Depression is associated with higher levels of inflammatory markers that cause heart disease. Observational studies have also linked depression to angina (chest pain), and both fatal and non-fatal heart attacks. However, some research suggests that some types of anti-depressants can actually reduce the risk of heart disease.

Fruits and Vegetables: A diet that includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains has been proven to increase overall health, as well as heart health.

Exercise: Exercising can reduce blood pressure, help control diabetes, obesity, and high cholesterol. The American Heart Association reports that regular physical activity after heart attack improves survival rate and quality of life.

Alcohol: Consuming moderate amounts of alcohol appears to have a positive effect on heart health. However, it is easy to overindulge in this area and too much of a good thing, especially alcohol, can actually damage the heart.

For an online heart attack and heart disease risk assessment, visit the American Heart Association Web site.

Sources:

About.com
American Heart Association
Journal of the American College of Cardiology