RISK FACTORS OF HAVING A HEART DISEASE
Non Modifiable risk factors vs Modifiable risk factors.
Heart disease does not have a single, particularly known cause, but you may have risk factors that increase your chance of developing it. Knowledge is power, so knowing your risks is the first step for avoiding a heart disease. There are certain risks for heart disease – some you can control with a positive and healthy lifestyle and others you cannot.
What is a risk factor?
A risk factor is something that increases your chance of getting a disease. The more risk factors that you have, the greater your chance of getting the disease.
The risk factors for heart disease are classified as:
- Non Modifiable risk factors.
- Modifiable risk factors.
Modifiable Risk Factors
Modifiable risk factors are called so because there’s plenty you can do about them. The good news is that you can reduce the effects of these risk factors by making a healthy lifestyle change. Modifiable risk factors include:
- Smoking
- High blood pressure
- Diabetes
- Physical inactivity
- High blood cholesterol
Non Modifiable risk factors
Non-modifiable risk factors can’t be changed. However, they can be controlled and their effects can be broadly reduced by accomplishing some changes to your lifestyle.
These risk factors depend on:
- Genes
- Age
- Gender
GENES (FAMILY HISTORY)
Heart disease may be transmitted across generations by a particular genetic mutation. Your risk of developing heart disease increases if,
- A father or brother was diagnosed with the disease or had a cardiac event under 55.
- A mother or sister was diagnosed with the disease or had a cardiac event under 65.
You are prone to having a cardiac arrest at a much younger age of around 25 to 30 years. It has been proven that by implementing a positive lifestyle from a young age, the genes mutate positively and keep people away from coronary heart diseases. Thus their progeny will be free from this risk factor.
AGE
As you get older, your risk of getting a heart attack goes up. More than 80% of people who die of heart disease are 65 or older. However, a heart attack is no longer considered a disease of just older people – it is now highly common among youngsters too.
GENDER
Men have a higher risk of having a heart attack than women do. They also have attacks earlier in their life. Females are gifted with intrinsic coronary artery protection, by circulating estrogen, as long as they are menstruating. Once they attain menopause, cessation of estrogen makes them prone to coronary heart disease like males.
Dr Mahadevan Ramachandran, a cardiac surgeon with over 15 years of independent experience in the premier hospitals of Kerala. Currently working as Chief Consultant Cardiac Surgeon at the following hospitals:
Total Cardiac Care, Thiruvananthapuram
Cosmopolitan Hospital, Thiruvananthapuram,
Azeezia Medical College, Kollam
NIMS Medicity, Neyyantinkara
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Dr. Mahadevan Ramachandran – LinkedIn
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