Heart disease contributes to most American disability cases and deaths. It is, therefore, crucial to understand the condition, including what causes it, risk factors, and how you can avoid it. With the help of a Fort Worth internist, you can learn if you are at a greater risk of heart disease and know what you can do to minimize the risks. It is crucial to maintain regular screening for heart disease to help you catch the condition early or identify your specific risk factors. Learn about heart disease risks herein, including how you can reduce them.
Unavoidable Risk Factors
You have no control over certain things and aspects of your life, even if they increase your risks for heart disease. You cannot change the natural aging process, but your heart disease risks increase as you get older. Also, you might not change your sex, but heart disease risks are different in men and women. Again, certain ethnicities are at greater risks for the condition than others, and you can do nothing about it. Finally, you are at greater risk for heart disease if you have a close family member diagnosed with the condition than others. Although you cannot control such factors, eliminating other possible factors could generally keep you safe.
Avoidable Risk Factors and What You Can Do:
High Blood Pressure
You need to control and keep your blood pressure in check to minimize your chances of developing heart disease. It is one of the major heart disease risk factors, and you can work with your healthcare provider to understand the lifestyle changes you can make to control your blood pressure. Ensure you get regular blood pressure tests at least once every year or more frequently if previous findings show high blood pressure.
Cholesterol
High cholesterol levels can clog our arteries, increasing your risks for heart attack and coronary artery disease. But you can control your cholesterol levels by discussing your lifestyle choices with your doctor and taking cholesterol medications.
Overweight and Obesity
You are more likely to develop heart disease when obese or overweight than maintaining a healthy weight. Therefore, put much effort into staying healthy and working with your doctor to reduce weight if you are already overweight. An unhealthy weight can also raise another risk for heart diseases such as high blood pressure.
Saturated Fats
Eating healthy improves your overall well-being and eliminates several factors associated with heart disease like overweight and high cholesterol levels. Generally, try the DASH diet and limit your saturated fats intake to minimize heart disease risks. You can also work with your doctor to develop a healthy eating plan to improve the health of your heart.
Smoking and Alcohol Intake
You have to quit if you smoke and limit your alcohol intake to minimize your heart disease risks. Cigarette smoking increases your chances of high blood pressure and puts you at a higher risk of developing a stroke or heart attack. Drinking too much alcohol also raises your blood pressure and adds extra calories. Therefore, regulate your drinking.
It is possible to lower your chances of developing heart disease. Although you might not avoid some risk factors, eliminating others like high blood pressure, obesity, high cholesterol, smoking, and alcohol intake can minimize your overall risk of heart disease. Reach out to Clover Internal Medicine Associates today and learn more. You can book your appointment online and research relevant questions you can equip yourself with.
