How Did I Get Heart Disease?
Risk factors for coronary artery disease revealed
Unravels the risk factors for coronary heart disease and tackles the question 'Why me?' Reduce the risk of heart attack and treat heart disease already present.
When people get sick they often ask “why me?’ What did I or didn’t I do to become ill? But this simplistic question belies the complexity of coronary artery disease. There are many risk factors which accelerate heart disease, some of which can be readily modified and some of which cannot.
These risk factors feed off each other, becoming more powerful when acting together than alone. For example, a diabetic who smokes will have a greatly accelerated rate of vascular disease compared with someone who only smokes or is only diabetic. This symbiotic relationship is important and uncoupling such partnerships can be the key to taking control of your health destiny.
The Unchangeable.
Increasing age
The majority of people who develop coronary artery disease are over 65 and this risk increases with age. Post-menopausal women have an increased risk of heart attack once the cardio-protective effect of oestrogen is removed.
Male gender
Coronary artery disease develops earlier and in greater numbers in men with an associated greater risk of heart attack.
Genetics
A family history of heart disease is a strong risk factor. The more relatives affected, the stronger the association. Certain ethnic groups have a higher risk of coronary artery disease, often due to the greater incidence of other risk factors such as hypertension (African- Americans) or diabetes (American Indians, Mexican Americans).
The Changeable.
Smoking
Smoking is a heart attack’s best friend and gives a powerful jump-start to other risk factors. Approximately 40% of coronary artery disease in patients under 65 is caused by smoking and smokers have 4 times the risk of sudden cardiac death.
Passive smoking raises the risk of heart disease even in non-smokers.
Smokers often fall back on the story of Uncle Joe who smoked for 90 years and never had heart disease. While this may be true for Joe, for someone else 5 years of smoking will cause a heart attack. There are so many factors which cause heart disease to develop, many of which are genetic and not yet understood, that it can be impossible to delineate who will be most affected. Uncle Joe should not be the excuse to keep smoking.
Hypertension
Prolonged high blood pressure causes strain and thickening in the heart, and predisposes to heart disease. When coupled with smoking, diabetes and obesity, hypertension becomes an even more potent risk factor.
Elevated fat and cholesterol
Cholesterol levels are, in part, determined by genetics, whilst some is dietary. With fats, the weight lies more with dietary consumption, and obesity is a major cause of both high fat and cholesterol levels. Cholesterol and fat work together when elevated to build deposits within the walls of coronary arteries, eventually causing them to block.
Diabetes
Even well-controlled diabetes increases the risk of coronary disease, but when blood sugars are elevated this effect is magnified. Obesity is a major precursor in developing diabetes.
Obesity
Excess weight, especially central abdominal obesity, seriously increases the risk of heart disease as well as diabetes, stroke and hypertension.
Sedentary lifestyle
Not exercising is the fuel for heart disease, diabetes, obesity, hypertension and high cholesterol. Regular exercise protects against heart disease both directly and by fighting many other risk factors.
So what now?
Cardiovascular risk factors interact to form a complex web of inter-dependency. The risk of coronary artery disease increases the more risk factors are present, and whilst some risks are beyond our control, we have the solutions to others at our fingertips through living a heart-friendly lifestyle.
