Heart disease is a broad term that encompasses several conditions all related to failure or disease of the heart. The most common condition is coronary heart disease that affects the blood vessels that feed the heart muscle itself. These arteries can become blocked with fatty buildup or can become hard and inflexible making it difficult for blood to move through them. The end result is usually a heart attack if the problem is not discovered earlier. There are many factors related to heart disease and some of them are under people's control. According to Healthcentral.com, 25 percent of all Americans have one or more risk factors.
Tobacco Smoke
According to the American Heart Association, smokers have 2 to 4 times the risk of developing heart disease as non-smokers. Nicotine in tobacco smoke damages the lining of blood vessels, causing them to clot more. It also increases the levels of carbon monoxide within the blood, which reduces oxygen levels. It also promotes atherosclerosis or hardening of the blood vessels. Smoking tobacco aggravates other risk factors and combines to increase the risk of developing coronary heart disease even more.
High Blood Pressure
When high blood pressure is present, it causes the heart to work harder than normal to pump blood through the body. This causes the heart muscle to thicken and become less elastic which aggravates the problem. High blood pressure has also been linked to damage to artery walls setting off a clotting reaction and atherosclerosis.
Obesity
The heart must work much harder to pump blood through the body of someone who is obese or overweight. Obese individuals usually have other risk factors such as high triglycerides in the blood, high blood pressure, diabetes and decreased HDL cholesterol. According to the American Heart Association, losing as little as 10 lbs. can reduce your risk of heart disease.
Inactivity
Exercise has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease by helping to keep the heart and blood vessels healthy. It also helps reduce other risk factors such as high triglycerides, diabetes and obesity. Exercise does not have to be strenuous to be helpful, but it does need to be consistent. The more intense the exercise, the greater the benefit to the heart.
Age/Sex/Heredity
Simply getting older is a risk factor for developing heart disease. As our heart muscle and blood vessels get older, they lose flexibility and become thicker and weaker. Over 80 percent of those who die from heart disease are 65 or older. Men are more likely to develop heart disease and as well as those with a family history of heart disease.
