Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Each minute in the United States, someone dies from an event related to heart disease--a disease that prevents the heart from functioning normally. Examples are coronary artery disease, heart failure and cardiac arrhythmias. Heart disease can be prevented by modifying certain risk factors, but other risk factors cannot be changed or modified.
Race
According to "American Heart Association Low-Fat, Low-Cholesterol Cookbook," race is a nonmodifiable risk factor for heart disease. African Americans are more predisposed to high blood pressure than Caucasians and therefore have an increased risk for heart disease. Due to high rates of obesity and diabetes, some Asian Americans, native Hawaiians, American Indians and Mexican Americans have a high risk of developing heart disease.
Family History
The "American Dietetic Association Complete Food and Nutrition Guide" notes that a positive family history of early heart disease is a nonmodifiable risk for heart disease. Individuals who have family members such as a father who developed heart disease before age 55 or a mother who had heart disease before age 64 are at risk for developing heart disease themselves. Nothing can be done to prevent this heart disease risk factor, because it is hereditary.
Age
Individuals who are 65 years and older are at risk for developing heart disease. The American Heart Association reports that about 82 percent of individuals whose deaths are caused by coronary heart disease are 65 years and older. Age is a nonmodifiable risk factor because people cannot change their age.
Gender
Gender is a nonmodifiable risk factor for heart disease. The American Heart Association points out that men have a greater risk for heart disease than women and also acquire the disease earlier in life. Even after menopause--a period when women are at increased risk for heart disease--men still have a higher risk.
References
- American Heart Association: Risk Factors You Can't Change
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Heart Disease: Tips for Prevention
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Heart Disease Fact Sheet
- "American Dietetic Association Complete Food and Nutrition Guide"; Roberta Larson Duyff and American Dietetic Association; 2006
- "American Heart Association Low-Fat, Low-Cholesterol Cookbook: Heart-Healthy, Easy-To-Make Recipes That Taste Great"; American Heart Association; 2001
