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It’s February 1st the Official Starting Day of Heart Month.Heart disease remains the #1 killer of men and women in this country.
The Main Risk Factors for heart disease include:
· Increased age (55 or older for women, 45 or older for men)
· A Family History of Heart Disease
· High Blood Pressure
· High Total Cholesterol, or High LDL (Bad) Cholesterol, or Low HDL (Good) Cholesterol, or High Triglycerides
· Diabetes/Metabolic Syndrome
· Overweight/Obesity (especially increased belly fat)
· Smoking
· Physical Inactivity
· Emotional Stress
Other Conditions that can Increase Your Risk:
· Depression
· Thyroid Disease
· Inflammatory Disease (like arthritis)
· Gum Disease
· Sleep Apnea
· Panic Anxiety Attacks
· Erectile Dysfunction in Men
· Premature Menopause in Women can lead to Premature Heart Disease
The more risk factors you have the greater your risk for developing heart disease. It is imperative that all men and women find out their individual risk factors and try to modify their lifestyle to decrease their risk for heart disease. If your healthcare provider does not mention them during your yearly physical evaluation – you should initiate the discussion. Why wait – if you do not already know which risk factors you have – it’s National Heart Month so find out.
Know Your Numbers – what is your blood pressure (the goal blood pressure for men and women is less than 120/80), what are your Cholesterol Numbers (important to know ALL the numbers not just the total cholesterol), what is your fasting blood sugar (current recommendations fasting blood sugar should be less than 100). Try to be physically active every day. Maintain an appropriate weight (Men’s waist circumference should be less than 40 inches, Women’s waist circumference should be less than 35 inches).
Learn the Signs of a Heart Attack.
SYMPTOMS