Healthy Heart

What increases my chances for getting heart and cardiovascular disease?

Many things can put a woman at risk for heart and cardiovascular disease. The more risk factors (or things that increase risk) a woman has, the greater the chance that she will develop heart or cardiovascular disease. There are some factors that you can't control such as getting older, family health history, and race. But you can do something about the three biggest risk factors for heart and cardiovascular disease - smoking, high blood pressure, and high blood cholesterol. Stopping smoking will reduce your risk and you can get help, through support groups, special behavior change programs, and medication, to quit. High blood pressure and high blood cholesterol can be controlled through diet, exercise, and medication. Talk with your health care provider about developing a plan for heart and cardiovascular health.

Studies have shown that physical inactivity adds to a person's risk for getting heart and cardiovascular disease. People who are not active are twice as likely to develop heart and cardiovascular disease compared to those who are more active. Excess body weight in women is linked with coronary heart disease, stroke, congestive heart failure, and death from heart-related causes. The more overweight you are, the higher your risk for heart disease.

Diabetes, sometimes referred to as high blood sugar, is a serious condition that raises a woman's risk for heart and cardiovascular disease. Women with diabetes have a greater risk of heart disease and stroke than do women without diabetes. Diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and obesity often go hand-in-hand, raising a person's risk for heart disease. And, diabetes has been found to double the risk of a second heart attack in women but not in men.

Being around tobacco smoke for large amounts of time, or all the time, can increase a person's risk for cardiovascular disease, even if you do not smoke. Today's low-dose birth control pills carry a much lower risk of heart disease and stroke than the higher-dose earlier pills did. But this is not the case for women who smoke or who have high blood pressure.

How can I reduce my risk for heart and cardiovascular disease?

Regular physical activity can help you reduce your risk of heart and cardiovascular disease. Being active helps women take off extra pounds, helps to control blood pressure, lessens a diabetic's need for insulin, and boosts the level of "good" cholesterol. Some studies show that being inactive increases the risk of heart attack. Other ways to reduce your risk include:

• Quit smoking - talk with your health care provider if you need help quitting.

• Cut back on foods high in saturated fat and cholesterol.

• Check blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels and keep them under control.

• Exercise at least 30 minutes a day on most (if not all) days of the week.

• Lose weight if you are overweight and keep at a healthy weight.

How much difference can diet and exercise really make on the health of my heart and cardiovascular system?