Heart Disease Risk Factors

Summary

This video will help patients who already have coronary artery disease minimize their chances of having a heart attack or stroke, by reducing their risks. Risk factors covered are: smoking, high cholesterol and triglycerides, high blood pressure, diabetes, excess weight, stress, and inactivity or lack of exercise. Actual patients featured in the video also discuss the benefits of participating in a cardiac rehabilitation program.

Details

You can reduce your risk of more heart damage by controlling certain risk factors.

Controllable risk factors:

• smoking
• high cholesterol and triglycerides
• high blood pressure
• diabetes
• excess weight
• stress
• inactivity or lack of exercise

A cardiac rehabilitation program can be a good place to start. In addition to supervised exercise, many cardiac rehab programs offer education on how to control risk factors.

Smoking:

• makes your heart pump faster
• constricts your blood vessels raising your blood pressure
• robs your cells of oxygen
• contributes to the build-up of plaque

If you aren't successful on your own, ask your doctor about getting some help like individual counseling or a smoking cessation program. Some people find nicotine replacement methods or medication helpful.

Cholesterol and triglycerides:

• fatty substances that exist normally in your blood
• too much of either can increase your risk of atherosclerosis
• LDLs (low density lipoproteins) form plaque in your arteries
• HDLs (high density lipoproteins) help remove clogging LDLs from your blood
• triglycerides contribute to plaque build up

Cholesterol goals:

• LDL level of less than 100
• HDL level of 45 or more for men, 55 or more for women
• triglyceride level of less than 200

Ways to lower cholesterol:

• change what you eat
• limit alcohol to one drink a day
• regular exercise may also lower your cholesterol level and raise your HDL
• medication

High blood pressure:

• heart is working harder than it should to pump blood
• damages the artery wall, making it easier for plaque to build up
• goal is a reading of 130 over 85 or less

Controlling blood presssure:

• medication
• control your weight through healthy eating and exercise
• reduce sodium (salt) intake
• limit alcohol to one or two drinks a day

Diabetes:

• contributes to the build up of plaque on the artery walls

Controlling diabetes:

• diet
• exercise
• medication

Excess weight:

• makes your heart work harder than it should
• develop a weight loss plan with your doctor
• regular exercise will help you lose weight and keep it off

Stress:

• constricts your blood vessels and raises blood pressure

Exercise:

• can help reduce every risk factor
• cardiac rehabilitation program can be a safe place to start exercising
• aerobic activities like walking, swimming, biking, jogging
• build to 30 to 60 minutes of exercise a day, three to five times a week