Healthy Heart
Each year, cardiovascular diseases top the list of the country's most serious health problems. What does this mean for you? Are you at risk for heart disease? There are several factors to consider.
Uncontrollable risk factors include:
- Age – As you get older, your risks for heart disease is greater.
- Gender – Men have a greater risk of heart attacks than women do. Women sometimes have symptoms that are different from men and can be overlooked.
- Family history – If there is heart disease in your family, your risk increases. Certain races are also more susceptible than others.
Fortunately, by making simple changes in your lifestyle, your risk for heart disease can decrease. The risk factors that you can control include:
- Smoking
- Physical inactivity
- High LDL or “bad” cholesterol and low HDL or “good” cholesterol
- Uncontrolled hypertension or “blood pressure”
- Obesity
- Uncontrolled diabetes
- High C-reactive protein
- Uncontrolled stress and anger
If you have one or more of these risk factors, learn more about changes you can make immediately.
You should also discuss this with your doctor.
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