Heart disease is a broad term used to describe a wide range of diseases that affect the heart and its blood vessels, according to the Mayo Clinic. Coronary artery disease, heart arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats) and heart defects all fall into the heart disease category. Main contributors for development of heart disease include family history, cigarette smoking, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol and diabetes.
Family History
The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) states an individual with a first-degree relative who has had a heart attack, heart surgery or sudden cardiac death is at greater risk for developing heart disease. That risk increases if a first-degree relative had heart-related problems occurring prior to 65 years of age.
Cigarette Smoking
Cigarette smokers have a higher risk of developing atherosclerosis, the buildup of fatty substances within the coronary arteries of the heart. Atherosclerosis is the main contributor to the high number of deaths from smoking, according to the American Heart Association. Smoking also increases blood pressure, decreases exercise tolerance and increases the tendency for blood to clot.
Individuals who smoke are at two to four times greater risk of developing heart disease than nonsmokers, according to the American Heart Association. Individuals with known coronary heart disease who also smoke have approximately twice the risk for suffering sudden cardiac death.
High Blood Pressure
High blood pressure (hypertension) causes the heart to work harder in order to overcome the resistance within arterial walls to pump an efficient amount of blood to the rest of the body, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Over time, the overworked heart muscle becomes stiffened and thicker, increasing the risk for the development of coronary artery disease.
Coronary artery disease can develop due to the stress high blood pressure places on the coronary arteries. Once the arteries are damaged, they narrow and are hardened by fatty deposits, increasing the risk for heart attack and stroke.
High Blood Cholesterol
Cholesterol, a waxy fat-like substance, builds within the arterial walls of the heart. As cholesterol builds it forms plaque that causes the artery to narrow and harden. This condition, termed atherosclerosis, occurs when the plaque accumulates to the point that it causes blockages and a subsequent diminishing of blood supply to the heart. Atherosclerosis can lead to heart attack and stroke, according to the American Heart Association.
Diabetes
The American Diabetic Association states that diabetes greatly increases an individual's risk for developing heart disease, with heart-related death rates approximately two to four times higher in individuals with diabetes. In 2004, 68 percent of diabetics aged 65 years or older died due to heart disease, according to the American Diabetic Association.
Individuals with diabetes also tend to develop heart disease at an earlier age, according to National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse. Chances of a middle-aged individual with type II diabetes having a heart attack may be as high as someone without diabetes who has already had one heart attack.
