Learn Your Risk Factors
There are two categories of risk factors:
• Those you can’t change.
• Those you can.
Risk Factors You Can’t Change
Let’s look first at the risks for heart attack and stroke that you can’t change. They include:
Age: Over 83% of people who die of coronary heart disease are over 65. Women
are somewhat protected from heart attack until menopause. Then their
risk starts to rise rapidly. Stroke risk also rises with age.
Gender: Men have a greater risk of heart attack than women do, and they have
attacks earlier in life. However, heart attack is still the leading
cause of death for women of color older than 20 years.
Hereditary Factors: Children of parents with heart disease and stroke are more likely to
develop it themselves. African Americans have more severe high blood
pressure than Caucasians and a higher risk of heart disease and stroke.
This is partly because African Americans have higher rates of obesity
and diabetes. If your father, mother or brothers or sisters have
cardiovascular diseases, tell your doctor.
Risk Factors You Can Change:
• Cigarette Smoking >>Go
• High Blood Pressure >>Go
• High Cholesterol >>Go
• Diabetes >>Go
• Physical Inactivity >>Go
• Obesity & Overweight >>Go
Take a Heart CheckUp >>Go |
