Knowing the risk factors helps avoid heart disease and reduce the occurrence of heart attacks. Some of these factors are genetic or due to a medical history, and some are related to the way a person manages his daily life.
The following is an explanation of the most important of these reasons:
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Health history: Having a family history of premature atherosclerosis or cardiovascular disease.
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Increasing age: The chances of having a heart attack increase with age, as most deaths from heart attacks occur after the age of 65 years.
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Smoking: Tobacco products cause rapid heartbeat and high blood pressure, which increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, and other blood vessel diseases.
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High blood cholesterol: It is considered one of the main risk factors for cardiovascular disease. The liver produces all the cholesterol that the body needs to produce hormones and others, so any excess cholesterol that a person eats through food rich in saturated fats such as meat and eggs enters the blood, and is deposited on the walls of the arteries, forming Plaques that gradually accumulate, causing atherosclerosis.
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In the event of hardening of the coronary arteries that supply blood to the heart, the patient is more likely to suffer a heart attack.
High blood cholesterol can be controlled by eating a healthy diet, and it is also recommended to continue analyzing blood cholesterol levels every 4 to 6 years, starting at the age of 20, as a routine procedure in the absence of any disease, symptoms, or reason that requires otherwise.
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High blood pressure: Untreated or uncontrolled high blood pressure may affect the heart and other major organs in the body, such as the kidneys and the brain. High blood pressure also increases the burden on the heart, which increases the incidence of heart attacks and congestive heart failure.
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Inactive lifestyle: An inactive lifestyle devoid of exercise and physical effort contributes to raising the possibility of heart attacks and coronary diseases. This is due to the association of exercise with burning excess calories, which helps to get rid of obesity, control blood cholesterol levels and sugar levels, and lower blood pressure. High levels. Exercise also strengthens the heart muscle and improves the flexibility of the arteries.
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Diabetes: Diabetes increases the possibility of developing cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and strokes. Therefore, the diabetic patient is recommended to undergo continuous examination and take regular medication to always control the blood sugar level. The doctor may advise the diabetic patient to make dietary changes and increase physical effort, in A way to control blood sugar and protect against heart disease.
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Obesity and weight gain: Obesity and an increase in body fat content, especially around the waist, increases the risk of heart disease and strokes. Obesity is linked to an increase in harmful cholesterol and triglycerides in the body. Obesity may lead to high blood pressure and diabetes, which are one of the factors in heart disease.
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Medical conditions: such as chronic kidney failure, chronic infections such as psoriasis and arthritis, preeclampsia, early menopause, stress and anxiety, lack of sleep, and drinking alcohol.
