Coronary heart disease, also sometimes referred to as coronary artery disease, is the failure of the circulation system to provide sufficient blood and oxygen to the heart and surrounding tissues. Coronary heart disease is a major cause of death in America and worldwide.
The major risk factors for coronary heart disease are smoking, obesity, hypertension, hyperlipidemia (high concentration of lipids in blood stream), diabetes, family history and physical inactivity.
Instructions
1. Avoid smoking. Smoking is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease. People who smoke are two to three times more likely to develop coronary heart disease than non-smokers. Chemicals contained in cigarette smoke have been shown to speed up the development of atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is the build up of fatty plaques in the arteries and leads to obstruction of blood flow to the heart.
2. Monitor your cholesterol levels and blood pressures regularly. Ideally, the level of low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol in your blood should be less 160 mg/dL and the level of high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol should be higher than 40 mg/dL. Your systolic blood pressure should be between 90 and 120 and your diastolic blood pressure should be between 60 and 80.
Family history is another important risk factor for . Inform your doctor if you have a family member or a relative diagnosed with heart diseases.
You can estimate your 10-year risk of developing coronary heart disease using the 10-year Framingham risk score on the website of American Heart Association (see Resources below).
3. Exercise regularly. It is recommended that you exercise at least 30 minutes every day at least four to five times a week. Exercise helps to improve your heart muscles. Exercise has to improve the overall lipid profile by bringing the level of triglyceride down and increasing the level of HDL cholesterol. Exercise also helps to reduce blood pressure and excessive weight. Studies show that regular moderate physical activity can reduce the risk of heart diseases by 60 percent.
4. Maintain a healthy diet that is low in fat and salt. A diet low in sodium (salt) reduces the risk of developing high blood pressure, which weakens the heart and increases the risk of stroke and heart attack.Talk with a nutritionist to create a diet plan for you.
5. Eat plenty of fruits and vegetables. Studies showed that an increase in one serving of fruits or vegetables per day leads to a 4 percent reduction in the risk of heart disease. A diet rich in fruits and vegetables has been shown to reduce the risk of dying from coronary heart diseases by 20 to 25 percent. Take multivitamin supplements if necessary.
6. Use medication if diet and exercise alone can not bring down your cholesterol and blood pressure. For instance, statins have been shown to reduce cholesterol levels and consequently the risk of heart diseases. Another example is diuretics, which can be used to treat hypertension.
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