Knowing your cardiac risk, or risk of heart disease, can help you prevent coronary artery disease, stroke, congestive heart failure and metabolic syndrome. Your risks increase if you smoke, have high blood pressure, high cholesterol or high sugar, are overweight or obese and physically inactive. A poor diet may also increase your risks, whereas a good diet reduces them. Ask your doctor to assess your cardiac risk and plan a risk reduction diet.
Cardiac Risk Assessment
The best way to assess your risk of heart disease is to get a physical exam. Discuss your family history and diet with you doctor, who will test your blood pressure and lipids. A blood lipid profile that measures your cholesterol and fat, also called triglycerides, is the most important laboratory test to determine your risk of heart disease, heart attack and death. Increased risk of heart disease may occur if you have levels of total cholesterol above 200 mg/dL; LDL, or "bad" cholesterol, levels greater than 100 mg/dL; triglycerides levels greater than 150 mg/dL; and HDL, or "good" cholesterol, levels less than 40 mg/dL. High levels of lipoprotein A, Lp(a), a substance associated with LDL cholesterol and influenced by genetics, may also indicate a high risk of heart disease.
Coronary Artery Disease
Coronary artery disease, also called coronary heart disease, is characterized by arteries filled with plaque made from dietary cholesterol and fat that block the flow of oxygenated blood to your heart, increasing your risk of heart attack or death. Consuming saturated fat from animal products, such as meat and dairy, as well as the trans fats manufacturers use in processed foods and restaurants use in frying fast foods, may increase your risks of coronary artery disease. On the other hand, consuming foods with healthy fats, such as monounsaturated and omega-3 fatty acids, can reduce your risk. Almonds, avocados and olive oil contain monounsaturated fatty acids, whereas salmon, flaxseeds and walnuts contain omega-3 fatty acids.
Stroke
Increased blood pressure can cause a stroke, the third leading cause of death in the United States. Consuming a diet with foods high in sodium can increase your blood pressure. Processed foods usually contain high amounts of sodium for flavor and to extend the product shelf life. Switch to eating whole foods, such as fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts and whole grains, which are healthier and lower in sodium. Most fruits and vegetables have very little sodium content.
Metabolic Syndrome
A person with metabolic syndrome has a cluster of risk factors that include abdominal obesity, elevated blood pressure, high cholesterol and insulin resistance to blood sugar. Together, these factors increase your risk for coronary artery disease, heart attack, stroke and diabetes. Reducing your weight through a low-calorie, low-fat diet that is also low in sodium may reduce your risk for these chronic diseases.
References
- American Heart Association: Heart Attack Risk Assessment
- Centers For Disease Control and Prevention: Leading Causes of Death
- American Association for Clinical Chemistry: Cardiac Risk Assessment
- National Heart, Blood and Lung Institute: Coronary Artery Disease
- Harvard School of Public Health: Fats and Cholesterol: Out with the Bad, in with the Good
- United States Department of Agriculture: Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010
