Knowing your risk factors can help you target the right choices
when planning your healthful lifestyle.
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1. |
Nicotine increases your heart rate and blood pressure, and it causes your blood vessels to constrict. The carbon monoxide found in cigarette smoke also reduces the oxygen in your blood. All of these factors cause your heart to work harder.
According to the American Heart Association, cigarette smoking is the biggest risk factor for sudden cardiac death, or death within one hour of symptoms. It is estimated that smoking causes at least 200,000 cardiac deaths each year. You can stop smoking. Contact your doctor when you are ready to quit or call 1-866-HRT-2-HRT for a program near you to help you quit smoking.
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2. |
The latest information from the American Heart Association indicates second hand smoke is as big a risk factor for heart disease as smoking. |
| True |
3. |
Even when diabetics glucose levels are under control they are at higher risk. Some studies show diabetics are two to four times more likely to develop heart disease than nondiabetics. High blood sugars are thought to increase triglyceride levels and reduce high-density lipoproteins (HDL) the good cholesterol. |
| False |
4. |
Evidence strongly suggests that having more than two alcoholic drinks a day can raise blood pressure, cause irregular heartbeats and damage the actual heart muscle. Alcohol consumption also contributes to obesity and high triglycerides because it contains empty calories. In addition, some strokes, accidents and suicides can be related to high alcohol intake. |
| True |
5. |
High blood pressure, or hypertension, can increase the risk for heart disease, especially among people who also smoke, are overweight or diabetic. Hypertension is known to cause the heart to work harder, which weakens the heart muscle. Hypertension, or blood pressure greater than 140/90, also increases your risk for stroke, kidney failure and congestive heart failure. |
| True |
6. |
As cholesterol rises, so does the risk for heart disease. There are three parts to evaluating your cholesterol:
- Total cholesterol
- HDL or good cholesterol
- Low-density lipoproteins (LDL) or bad cholesterol.
Total cholesterol should be 200 mg/dl. or less. HDL cholesterol should be above 40, and the LDL cholesterol should be lower than 130. Some studies suggest if you have heart disease, your LDL should be lower than 100. Your cholesterol level can be affected by age, sex, heredity and diet. Not knowing your cholesterol levels is a risk factor as well. If you are not sure what your cholesterol levels are, ask your doctor to check them for you with a simple blood test.
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| False |
7. |
Excess body fat, particularly at the waist, is the biggest single risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Being overweight causes your heart to work harder, which also contributes to high blood pressure and elevated cholesterol and triglyceride levels. Overweight is defined as having a body mass index greater than 25. Obesity can be defined as having a body mass index greater than 29. You will calculate your BMI with the chart below. |
| True |
8. |
Regular moderate exercise, such as brisk walking for 30 minutes a day, can reduce your risk for heart disease. People who do not exercise are twice as likely to develop heart problems. Regular exercise can strengthen the heart and help your body work more efficiently.
Other benefits of regular exercise are lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol, lower blood sugars, reduced stress and weight loss. You should talk to your doctor before beginning an exercise program, because your doctor may want to do an exercise test depending on your age, current physical activity and other medical problems that may exist.
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| True |
9. |
If someone in your immediate family, such as a brother, sister, mother, father, aunt, uncle or grandparent, has had a heart attack or heart problems, you may be at risk for developing heart disease. Often a person with a family history of heart disease may also have one or more other risk factors.
You cannot control your family history, sex, age or race, but if these are risk factors for you, it is even more important that you work on controlling other risk factors, such as smoking, obesity, high blood pressure, cholesterol levels, lack of exercise and diabetes.
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| True |
10. |
Some African-Americans with heart disease appear to have increased problems with triglycerides, particularly African-American women. African-Americans also have more problems with high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes than any other ethnic group.
Heart disease is also higher among Mexican-Americans, Native Indians, native Hawaiians and some Asian-Americans. Be aware of all your risk factors and work on controlling risk factors that can be modified.
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| True |
11. |
Numerous studies show women are more likely to die from a heart attack than men. Particularly, younger women are at greater risk than men of the same age. Heart attacks kill more women every year than the next seven causes combined including cancer.
Evidence suggests women have different heart attack symptoms from men, and that may cause women to delay seeking medical attention, which increases mortality rates. Women are more likely to describe their chest pain, or angina, as tightness, which can be mistaken for indigestion. Men are more likely to describe their symptoms as a sudden pressure, fullness or squeezing in the center of the chest.
But, up to 50 percent of female heart attack victims have symptoms such as profound weakness, shortness of breath, dizziness, nausea or gastric pain.
Even though women are more likely than men to have a complaint other than chest pain, men may also suffer the atypical symptoms listed above.
Ask your doctor to review your risk factors for heart disease with you. Discuss symptoms and risk factors with your family members, and if you experience any heart attack symptoms, call 911.
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