Heart Disease Cause And Prevention

Jon Yates

3/12/07

Health

Cause and Prevention of Heart disease

Heart disease is very serious issue that can affect many Americans everyday. In the United States, more than 60 million Americans have some form of cardiovascular disease. About 2600 people die everyday of cardiovascular disease. Cancer, the second largest killer, accounts for only half as many deaths. Cardiovascular disease can take many forms, including high blood pressure, coronary artery disease, valvular heart disease, stroke, or rheumatic fever/rheumatic heart disease.

Risk factors are divided into two categories: major and contributing. Major risk factors are those that have been proven to increase the risk of heart disease. Contributing risk factors are those that doctors think can lead to an increased risk of heart disease, but their exact role has not been defined. The more risk factors people have, the more likely they are to develop heart disease. Some risk factors can be changed, treated, or modified, and some cannot. But by controlling as many risk factors as possible, through lifestyle changes and/or medicines, people can reduce their risk of heart disease.

There are many Major Risk factors, and contributing factors. They are high blood pressure, or hypertension, high blood cholesterol, diabetes, obesity and overweight, smoking, physical inactivity, gender, heredity, and many more. Some contributing risk factors are stress, sex hormones, birth control pills, and alcohol.

There are many things someone can do to prevent heart disease. A person should eat less fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol, and eat less salt and sodium. They should also make sure they get physical activity in their lives, and watch their weight. It would also be a good idea to stop smoking, or better yet, don't even start.

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