What are the main risk factors associated with heart disease?
Question
What are the main risk factors associated with heart disease?
Solution
The main risk factors associated with heart disease include:
-
Age: As you get older, your risk of heart disease increases.
-
Sex: Men are generally at greater risk of heart disease. However, women's risk increases after menopause.
-
Family History: If your parents or siblings have had heart disease, you are more likely to develop it yourself.
-
Smoking: Nicotine constricts your blood vessels, and carbon monoxide can damage their inner lining, making them more susceptible to atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries). Heart attacks are more common in smokers than in non-smokers.
-
Poor Diet: A diet high in fat, salt, sugar, and cholesterol can raise your risk of heart disease.
-
High Blood Pressure: Over time, high blood pressure can damage arteries that feed your heart by accelerating atherosclerosis.
-
High Blood Cholesterol Levels: High levels of cholesterol in your blood can increase the risk of formation of plaques and atherosclerosis.
-
Diabetes: Diabetes increases your risk of heart disease, especially if your sugars are not well controlled.
-
Obesity: Excess weight typically worsens other risk factors.
-
Physical Inactivity: Lack of exercise also increases risk.
-
Stress: Unrelieved stress in your life may damage your arteries as well as worsen other risk factors for heart disease.
-
Poor Hygiene: Not regularly washing your hands and not establishing other habits that can help prevent viral or bacterial infections can put you at risk of heart infections, especially if you already have an underlying heart condition. Poor dental health also may contribute to heart disease.
Similar Questions
Which of the following is a risk factor for heart disease?Regular exerciseBeing overweightBeing underweightLow cholesterol levels2In coronary heart disease:The arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle become narrowThe heart valves do not work properlyThe heart beats too slowlyThe heart beats too quickly3Which of the following is a risk associated with fitting a stent?RejectionThrombosis/blood clotRequires general anaesthetic Blood loss4Statins may be prescribed to anyone at risk of cardiovascular disease. They work by:Suppressing the immune systemReducing the production of cholesterol by the liverBreaking down cholesterolIncreasing the production of cholesterol by the liver5Doctors can operate and replace faulty heart valves. What is a disadvantage of using a mechanical rather than a biological valve? Requires anti-coagulation medicationDoes not last as longRequires a close tissue matchMore likely to be rejected 6In heart transplant operations, what is an advantage of using a natural donor heart rather than an artificial heart?Longer lastingLess likely to be rejected Good availabilityDoes not require life-long medication
Some key risk factors of Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) include smoking, diet, high blood pressure, stress, and:Question 1Answera.family historyb.ethnicityc.Type A behavior and hostilityd.all of the above
Which of the following is not a major risk factor for heart disease?smokinggenderheightweight
Hypertension is a major risk factor for heart disease because it ________.Group of answer choicesforces the heart to pump harder, which puts more physical strain on the heartplaces stress on the thyroid system, which inflames the arteriesrestricts a person’s salt intake, which suppresses the immune systemslows the heart rate, which leads to less efficient distribution of oxygen through the body
Which of the following is considered a major risk factor for cardiac events duringsurgery?
Upgrade your grade with Knowee
Get personalized homework help. Review tough concepts in more detail, or go deeper into your topic by exploring other relevant questions.