The Power of Six

There are six major risk factors for heart disease and they are all controllable or modifiable.  You can take control instead of letting them control you.  This can greatly reduce your risk.  They are:

    • High Blood Cholesterol
    • High Blood Pressure
    • Tobacco Smoke
    • Physical Inactivity
    • Obesity or Overweight
    • Diabetes

1.  High Blood Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a fat like substance that is found in the blood and cells.  Cholesterol can build up in your arteries narrowing the walls and reducing blood flow.  The buildup, called plaque, can break off to form a clot and block blood flow.  If the clot totally blocks the artery it causes a heart attack.

What Can You Do?

There are no symptoms of high blood cholesterol so you should have your blood cholesterol levels checked.  The three types of cholesterol, "good", "bad", and triglycerides can be checked with a single blood test. 

Current clinical guidelines for blood cholesterol levels are as noted below:

 Risk             Total Cholesterol HDL "Good"          LDL "Bad"              
 High  240 +  Below 40  160 +
 Borderline  200-239    130-159
 Low  Below 200   60 +  Below 100

Healthy nutrition and physical activity can help control blood cholesterol levels. 

Your physician may also prescribe medication.  It is important that you take the medication as prescribed to manage your blood cholesterol level. 

Even if you take medication, healthy nutrition and physical activity are still important.

2.  High Blood Pressure

The heart normally moves blood through the body smoothly. High blood pressure causes the heart to work too hard and pushes the blood against the artery walls with too much force.  This can cause damage to the arteries increasing the risk of a heart attack, stroke or other cardiovascular diseases.

Current clinical guidelines are as follows:

Risk  Level                 

 Blood  Pressure    

 High

  140/90 or higher
 Borderline           120/80 to 139/89
 Low  Below 120/80

What Do the Numbers Mean?

  • A blood pressure check produces two numbers.  The top number is the pressure when the heart beats (systolic).
  • The bottom number is pressure when the heart is between beats (diastolic).
  • If either the top or bottom number is consistently high, you may have high blood pressure.

What Can You Do?

  • Manage your weight.  Being overweight contributes to high blood pressure.  Develop a healthy eating plan.
  • Your healthy eating plan should include low salt and low sodium foods.  High sodium consumption contributes to increased blood pressure.
  • Be physically active.  Check with your physician before starting an exercise program.
  • Limit alcohol consumption
  • If your physician prescribes medication take it as prescribed

3.  Smoking 

You probably already know that smoking is bad for your health, but did you know that smoking can also increase blood pressure and damage blood vessels.   Smoking raises your risk of stroke and heart disease.  Did you know that if you smoke your risk of heart attack is more than twice that of nonsmokers.

What Can You Do?

Quit smoking.  Find a class or program to help. If you quit you will reduce your risk of heart disease, and your risk for developing high blood pressure.  If you are already taking medication for your blood pressure, quitting will help your treatment plan work even better.

4.  Physical Inactivity

Physical inactivity contributes to increasing the risk of other risk factors for heart disease.  Inactivity contributes to being overweight, increases risk of developing diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels.  A physically active lifestyle is important for long term health, including cardiovascular health.  A regular exercise program can be part of that active lifestyle.  Regular exercise, even walking can reduce blood pressure, blood cholesterol, and lower the incidence of heart disease, diabetes and certain cancers.

What Can You Do?

Increase your activity level.  Always check with a physician before starting an exercise program if you have been sedentary. Start walking, but increase your activity gradually.  Take the stairs at work rather than the elevator.  Park your car far away from the store and walk through the parking lot. Stretch while sitting at your desk.  Walk down the hall to talk rather than phoning a work colleague.

5.  Obesity or Over Weight

Excess weight makes other risk factors, such as diabetes, more likely.  Excess weight around the waist or stomach increase your risk of heart disease the most.

Learn more about your risk factors and complete a risk assessment tool on line.  Discuss these results with your primary care physician or cardiologist.
 



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