INTRODUCTION
Most risk factors are associated with coronary artery disease and heart disease, but they are often closely related with each other.
Four risk factors are the most significant in promoting coronary heart disease. These four factors are:
1. Diabetes
2. Hypertension
3. Cholesterol
4. Smoking
Risk factors basically can be divided into two groups:
1. Risk factors that cannot be controlled
2. Risk factors that can be regulated and controlled
Each of the above will be discussed in their respective group along with the remaining risk factors.
Heart disease has no limitations and no rules. It will affect and kill a large number of Americans both young and old. The causes of heart disease are known thus the ailment is avoidable. Like any other disease, certain factors usually are involved which enhance or slow down the progress of the disease. These factors are called "RISK FACTORS". A number of risk factors are directly involved and they play an important role in enhancing heart disease. Although some of these factors are well known, and they are stressed by the media almost on a daily basis, we still tend to ignore them.
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Four risk factors are the most significant in promoting coronary heart disease. These four factors are:
1. Diabetes
2. Hypertension
3. Cholesterol
4. Smoking
Risk factors basically can be divided into two groups:
1. Risk factors that cannot be controlled
2. Risk factors that can be regulated and controlled
Each of the above will be discussed in their respective group along with the remaining risk factors.
Heart disease has no limitations and no rules. It will affect and kill a large number of Americans both young and old. The causes of heart disease are known thus the ailment is avoidable. Like any other disease, certain factors usually are involved which enhance or slow down the progress of the disease. These factors are called "RISK FACTORS". A number of risk factors are directly involved and they play an important role in enhancing heart disease. Although some of these factors are well known, and they are stressed by the media almost on a daily basis, we still tend to ignore them.
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RISK FACTORS THAT CANNOT BE CONTROLLED
While risk factors that are beyond control cannot be changed or altered, one should be aware of them because they are directly related with risk factors that are controllable.
It has been found that coronary heart atherosclerosis and ischemic heart disease are more common in industrialized countries than in the underdeveloped countries. Yet, in Japan which is considered to be an industrial country, heart disease in Finland is less common than in the United States; yet, diseases are much more common than in the more industrialized nations of Western Europe (Keys, 1970). It has also found been that men in the United States have an incidence rate of coronary heart disease double that of European men of the same age and the same blood pressure, cholesterol, and smoking habits. Although there is some degree of geographic influence on the occurrence of ischemic heart disease, the correlation is not high and probably reflects other more significant factors such as diet, lifestyle, and personal habits.
GENDER
Coronary artery disease has always been and still is more common in men than in women, however, the gap is closing quite rapidly. Today's women are quite competitive and are accepting positions that once were only occupied by men, and which are stressful or which involve hard labor. Also, more women than ever are smoking, particularly young women, and more women are sole family supporters while some studies have revealed that the female sex hormone has the ability to reduce the severity of coronary atherosclerosis, however, the results are inconclusive and quite controversial (Manchester et al, 1971).
AGE
The chance of developing heart disease increases as one gets older. However, is a mistake to think that only old people suffer from heart disease? In fact, about a quarter of all heart attack fatalities are individuals below the age of 65, and many of those are under 40. It is not yet known whether aging, itself, acts as a mechanism in the process of promoting the heart disease. Scientists are still researching this possibility.
FAMILY HEREDITY
Family heredity a predisposing factor of coronary artery disease is well known. It has been found that the death rate from this disease is considerably higher among subjects with long lived parents and grandparents, even in the absence of such risk factors as hypertension, diabetes, and smoking (Hammond et al, 1971). As a cause of death, coronary disease is twice as common in the fathers of patients with the disease with patients whose fathers do not have the disease. A positive history of cardiovascular disease is over one-and-a-half times more frequent in one or both parents with coronary disease as compared with the parents who are free of the disease.
CURRENT HEART DISEASE
If you have been diagnosed currently as having angina and/or coronary atherosclerosis, your risks are higher of having a heart attack. However, you can control these conditions by taking some precautions and changing your current habits which will be discussed later in this chapter.
DIABETES
Diabetes is a disease in which the body cannot make proper use of carbohydrates and is caused by failure of the pancreas to produce enough insulin. Diabetes greatly increases the risk of having a heart attack and stroke because the disease directly affects the cardiovascular system and because it is associated with high levels of fats in the blood.
Diabetes can promote the process of hardening of the arteries, although, the exact process is not yet known. Diabetes cannot be prevented, but by staying on a proper diet, taking insulin regularly, keeping your weight under control, staying active, and getting regular physical examinations, you can control the disease. Ischemic heart disease occurs at a younger age in diabetics than in non diabetics. Diabetic patients with atherosclerosis have been found to have higher triglycerides and cholesterol levels than diabetics who are free of atherosclerosis or normal individuals.
Fortunately, there are ways to keep diabetes under control. Because of modern medicine, diabetics can lead a very normal life provided, of course, they get the proper medical attention. There are two kinds of diabetes:
1. Type I diabetes. This is called juvenile diabetes and it occurs most often in children and in young adults. Because the pancreas can no longer produces insulin, individuals with juvenile diabetes must take daily injections of insulin to maintain the proper level of sugar in their blood
2. Type II diabetes. This type of diabetes occurs in persons usually forty years of age and older. This is by far the most common form of diabetes, and the reason why this condition develops is not yet known. Diabetes to be more prevalent in people who are obese, inactive, and under stress.
Type II diabetes is by far the milder of the two forms of diabetes; it can be easily controlled and in time, completely cured. Your physician will normally recommend an exercise program and a diet plan. Once the condition is controlled, your diet and physical activity only will be slightly limited.
Similar to hypertensive individuals, many people are diabetics and do not even know it. If you suspect you might have diabetes, watch for these signs:
1. Excessive hunger and thirst
2. Frequent urination
3. Skin infections
4. Slow-healing wounds
5. Very easily fatigued
If you have any of these signs, notify your physician for further evaluation and testing. If the preliminary test results are positive you will be given a glucose tolerance test, which determines how well your body is using glucose or blood sugars. However, remember that diabetes is not a crippling disease and you should be able to lead a normal life.
RACE
Black Americans tend to develop high blood pressure more often than Whites and it is usually of a more severe in nature. However, the mortality rate was found to be significantly lower in black patients than in white patients. This phenomenon is not completely understood.
It has been found that coronary heart atherosclerosis and ischemic heart disease are more common in industrialized countries than in the underdeveloped countries. Yet, in Japan which is considered to be an industrial country, heart disease in Finland is less common than in the United States; yet, diseases are much more common than in the more industrialized nations of Western Europe (Keys, 1970). It has also found been that men in the United States have an incidence rate of coronary heart disease double that of European men of the same age and the same blood pressure, cholesterol, and smoking habits. Although there is some degree of geographic influence on the occurrence of ischemic heart disease, the correlation is not high and probably reflects other more significant factors such as diet, lifestyle, and personal habits.
GENDER
Coronary artery disease has always been and still is more common in men than in women, however, the gap is closing quite rapidly. Today's women are quite competitive and are accepting positions that once were only occupied by men, and which are stressful or which involve hard labor. Also, more women than ever are smoking, particularly young women, and more women are sole family supporters while some studies have revealed that the female sex hormone has the ability to reduce the severity of coronary atherosclerosis, however, the results are inconclusive and quite controversial (Manchester et al, 1971).
AGE
The chance of developing heart disease increases as one gets older. However, is a mistake to think that only old people suffer from heart disease? In fact, about a quarter of all heart attack fatalities are individuals below the age of 65, and many of those are under 40. It is not yet known whether aging, itself, acts as a mechanism in the process of promoting the heart disease. Scientists are still researching this possibility.
FAMILY HEREDITY
Family heredity a predisposing factor of coronary artery disease is well known. It has been found that the death rate from this disease is considerably higher among subjects with long lived parents and grandparents, even in the absence of such risk factors as hypertension, diabetes, and smoking (Hammond et al, 1971). As a cause of death, coronary disease is twice as common in the fathers of patients with the disease with patients whose fathers do not have the disease. A positive history of cardiovascular disease is over one-and-a-half times more frequent in one or both parents with coronary disease as compared with the parents who are free of the disease.
CURRENT HEART DISEASE
If you have been diagnosed currently as having angina and/or coronary atherosclerosis, your risks are higher of having a heart attack. However, you can control these conditions by taking some precautions and changing your current habits which will be discussed later in this chapter.
DIABETES
Diabetes is a disease in which the body cannot make proper use of carbohydrates and is caused by failure of the pancreas to produce enough insulin. Diabetes greatly increases the risk of having a heart attack and stroke because the disease directly affects the cardiovascular system and because it is associated with high levels of fats in the blood.
Diabetes can promote the process of hardening of the arteries, although, the exact process is not yet known. Diabetes cannot be prevented, but by staying on a proper diet, taking insulin regularly, keeping your weight under control, staying active, and getting regular physical examinations, you can control the disease. Ischemic heart disease occurs at a younger age in diabetics than in non diabetics. Diabetic patients with atherosclerosis have been found to have higher triglycerides and cholesterol levels than diabetics who are free of atherosclerosis or normal individuals.
Fortunately, there are ways to keep diabetes under control. Because of modern medicine, diabetics can lead a very normal life provided, of course, they get the proper medical attention. There are two kinds of diabetes:
1. Type I diabetes. This is called juvenile diabetes and it occurs most often in children and in young adults. Because the pancreas can no longer produces insulin, individuals with juvenile diabetes must take daily injections of insulin to maintain the proper level of sugar in their blood
2. Type II diabetes. This type of diabetes occurs in persons usually forty years of age and older. This is by far the most common form of diabetes, and the reason why this condition develops is not yet known. Diabetes to be more prevalent in people who are obese, inactive, and under stress.
Type II diabetes is by far the milder of the two forms of diabetes; it can be easily controlled and in time, completely cured. Your physician will normally recommend an exercise program and a diet plan. Once the condition is controlled, your diet and physical activity only will be slightly limited.
Similar to hypertensive individuals, many people are diabetics and do not even know it. If you suspect you might have diabetes, watch for these signs:
1. Excessive hunger and thirst
2. Frequent urination
3. Skin infections
4. Slow-healing wounds
5. Very easily fatigued
If you have any of these signs, notify your physician for further evaluation and testing. If the preliminary test results are positive you will be given a glucose tolerance test, which determines how well your body is using glucose or blood sugars. However, remember that diabetes is not a crippling disease and you should be able to lead a normal life.
RACE
Black Americans tend to develop high blood pressure more often than Whites and it is usually of a more severe in nature. However, the mortality rate was found to be significantly lower in black patients than in white patients. This phenomenon is not completely understood.
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- Raybo Raybo Sep 12, 2008 @ 7:42 pm
- Some of these non-controllable risk factors apply to me. I gues it is good to be aware of the potential risks.
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- vbright105 vbright105 Aug 22, 2008 @ 5:37 pm
- Another great one! I stumbled it, listed it on technorati and 5* it.
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Heart Disease: Risk Factors for Women
Women have the same risk factors as men do for heart disease. However, women may tend to ignore their symptoms. In particular, African American women need to pay attention to their risk factors. The risk for developing heart disease also increases once women reach the postmenopausal stage. For more health related videos, please visit http://www.icyou.com
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The writer has been in the Medical field since 1962. Although, not a Physician, he has worked his entire life with physicians. He trained in 2 differe... (more)
