Cardiovascular problems, including heart attack and stroke, have been the major contributing factors of death worldwide. Many more individuals are on the way to get cardiovascular diseases. The heart is the only muscular organ that circulates blood to all the organs, helps smooth the operation of the organs, and works 24/7.
The heart is believed to be the most sensitive organ of the human body and needs to be protected. We don’t listen or pay attention to our core because of our careless attitude. About 68 million Americans are suffering from heart problems, including heart attack, stroke, and others, and many more are at risk of acquiring them soon. This scary statistic only leaves us with one question: who’s next? It could be me, you, or someone prone to develop cardiovascular complications in their life. The notion of risk factors has been in practice for many decades to safeguard individuals from heart complications. It has been studied well that monitoring the risk factors can control maximum heart conditions. Herein, we shall discuss the risk factors that can make you prone to cardiovascular diseases.
Heart disease describes a range of problems that affect the heart. Heart disease includes coronary artery disease, irregular heartbeats, congenital heart defects, disease of the heart muscle, and heart valve disease. Different types of heart disease have different causes. The cause of heart attack is coronary artery disease (CAD). CAD causes most heart attacks. In CAD, one or more of the heart arteries are blocked. Plaques can narrow the arteries and the circulation of blood to the heart. The type of heart attack you had determines the treatments that your healthcare provider will recommend. An individual gets a heart attack when a blockage in one or more heart arteries reduces or stops blood circulation to the heart, which starves part of the heart muscle of oxygen. The blockage in the artery may be partial or complete. Treatment involves a variety of heart attack medications.
Detailing cardiovascular disease risk factors?
Risk factors are measurable characteristics that, when avoided or controlled, can shift our lives to brighter and healthier ones. Various cardiovascular risk factors for the heart have been well studied and researched, which, when treated or controlled, can keep cardiovascular complications at bay. Having a risk factor doesn’t mean that you will surely face heart-related conditions, but yes, if ignored or multiplied, it can put your life in danger.
What are the types of Cardiovascular disease risk factors?
Cardiovascular disease risk factors are of two types: modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors. Former one as the name suggests, these risk factors, when controlled or treated, can protect you from a life-threatening heart condition. Conversely, the non-modifiable risk factors cannot be modified or manipulated. If we look at the history of cardiovascular morbidity or mortality, the modifiable risk factors have taken a death toll on millions of human lives.
What are the modifiable risk factors?
The following are the modifiable risk factors that, when managed effectively, can keep your heart free from any disease conditions:
- Hypertension –It acts as a host of many cardiovascular complications such as heart attack, heart failure, and many more. It has the potential to endanger our lives by making our heart functions work. The raised blood pressure levels in the body are a major sign of your unwell heart. The blood vessels apply loads of pressure to supply blood to the other cells and tissues every time. This elevated blood pressure increases your risk of facing cardiovascular health hazards. It can be well prevented or controlled with the help of medications and bringing a healthy change in your lifestyle. Restricting salt intake, opting for a DASH diet (dietary approach to stop hypertension), being stress-free, and keeping weight under control. Modify your lifestyle to keep your blood pressure levels under control.
Medications like beta blockers, calcium channel blockers, and diuretics also help to control blood pressure levels under control and are an important part of the treatment of heart diseases. Hypertension can be easily prevented or controlled, ultimately preventing any cardiovascular problems.
- High blood cholesterol levels –Abnormal blood lipid levels also increase your heart’s risk of being affected. Raised LDL (low-density lipoproteins), triglycerides, and reduced HDL (high-density lipoproteins) are the major attributes that can induce blockage in the blood vessels. Cholesterol gets deposited in the arteries, making the blood supplying the artery necrotic, which can result in myocardial infarction. A healthy lifestyle can also prevent or control hypertension.
Diet control, abstaining from fried food, and exercising are the few mandatory things that must be followed religiously to keep your cholesterol levels under control. Lovastatin, Atorvastatin, and Simvastatin are important parts of treating heart diseases. It lowers cholesterol levels and avoids the formation of clots, which can cause blockage in arteries.
- Type 2 diabetes mellitus –Diabetes is a metabolic disorder with increased blood glucose levels induced by insulin dysfunction. Insulin is a hormone that controls the body’s sugar metabolism. Its dysfunction can cause lifelong diabetes that can damage the artery walls, resulting in atheroma. People with diabetes are more susceptible to heart problems than diabetic-free individuals.
- Being obese –Obesity is the number one reason behind cardiovascular deaths. It is a big reason above all explained risk factors such as high blood pressure, blood glucose, and cholesterol levels. Losing weight is crucial to your health and keeps heart problems at bay.
- Your way of living –How you live your life is in your control. Cigarette smoking, excessive alcohol intake, and being physically inactive have a massive impact on your heart health. Living a healthy lifestyle and abstaining from the intake of tobacco smoke and alcohol reduces your chances of getting a heart attack by 30%.
What are the non-modifiable risk factors?
Non-modifiable risk factors cannot be altered or changed. One must follow a healthy lifestyle and regularly follow up with your physician. Age, gender, and family history are the few factors that cannot be changed but play an important role in cardiovascular health. Age is a major risk factor that endangers your heart and health.
Walk for your heart:
It has been well-studied that most cardiovascular deaths have occurred due to an unhealthy way of living. Lack of physical activity, eating unhealthy food, and smoking are the few bad activities that can impair your heart functions. Overcoming the risk factors reduces your heart problems by almost 50%. Exercising about 30 minutes daily helps blood circulation and reduces the heart’s workload. One should aim to decrease the number of risk factors by working in the right direction to safeguard one’s heart. Be wise with the risk factors and avoid them for healthy heart functioning and a long, healthy life.
Amelia Smith
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