Certain conditions and or habits called as CAD risk factors may increase the chances of coronary heart disease. The chance increases with the number of risk factors that one have.
Coronary heart-disease risk factors
You can prevent or slow-down, most of the risk factors of coronary heart disease:
- Hyperlipidemia with a high level of LDL (bad) cholesterol and low level of HDL (good) cholesterol
- High blood pressure stays at or above 140/90 mmHg over a period.
- Smoking can raise cholesterol, blood pressure, damage blood vessel and reduces oxygen to the body's tissues.
- Diabetes (Insulin resistance) – Long term of high blood glucose can affect nerves and blood vessels.
- Overweight or obesity – means extra fat in the body increases the risk of metabolic syndrome that in turn multiplies the risk factor.
- Low or no physical activity - can worsen other coronary heart-disease risk factors.
- Aging increases the risk. In men, the risk increases after 45 years and in women, the risk increases after 55 years (mostly after menopause).
- Genetic, there is a family history of heart disease. Father or a brother diagnosed with heart disease before age 55, or mother or a sister diagnosed with heart disease before age 65.
- Sleep apnea, a sleep disorder with breathing obstructed, stopped, or very shallow while sleeping. If untreated can develop high pressure, diabetes, and even a heart attack or stroke.
- Stress, studies show stress, particularly anger is reports to trigger a heart attack.
- Alcohol drinking can damage the heart muscle and worsen other risk factors for coronary heart disease. Men should have not drinks more than two/day and women one/day.
Therapeutic lifestyle changes and if needed taking medicines to treat other risk factors can often prevent or at-least lessen coronary heart disease from developing.