Five ways to prevent heart disease

It's never too late to take steps to prevent a heart attack, even if you've already had one.

The Mayo Clinic's new online risk calculator helps you become informed about your heart health and reducing your risk for a heart attack in the next 10 years.

After you answer several questions about your lifestyle and health, the calculator determines your 10-year risk of a heart attack . Risk scores are based on a number of factors, including age, gender, tobacco use, cholesterol levels and blood pressure.

Approximately one out of 10 people with a risk level of 12 percent will have a heart attack or die of heart disease within the next 10 years, clinic experts said.

80 million Americans

Roughly 80 million Americans - nearly 38 percent of the total population - have some form of cardiovascular disease and nearly a third have high blood pressure. The conditions account for 36 percent of all deaths, or one for every 2.8 deaths in the United States, according to the American Heart Association.

Many women believe that cancer is more of a threat, but nearly twice as many women in the United States die of heart disease and strokes than from all forms of cancer, even breast cancer, association figures indicate.

Each year, about 40,000 more women than men have strokes, and more than 60 percent of total stroke deaths occur in women.
 
Five tips to prevent heart disease

According to Mayo Clinic's Heart Disease Center, here are five heart disease prevention tips:

•  Don't smoke or use tobacco products. "If you smoke, quit," said cardiologist Dr. Sharonne Hayes,  director of the Mayo Clinic's Women's Heart Clinic in Rochester, Minn. "That's the most powerful, preventable risk factor for heart disease."

Smokeless tobacco and low-tar and low-nicotine cigarettes also are risky, as is exposure to secondhand smoke, she said.

•  Get active. You already know that physical activity is good for you, but you may not realize just how good it is: regular moderately vigorous physical activity can reduce your risk of fatal heart disease by nearly 25 percent.

And combining physical activity with other lifestyle measures, such as maintaining a healthy weight, results in even greater benefits.

•  Eat a heart-healthy, low-fat diet. Consistently eating fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes, low-fat protein sources, certain types of fish and low-fat dairy products can help protect your heart. Most people should set a goal of five to 10 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. 

Limiting your intake of certain fats also is important. Saturated and trans fats increase your  risk of coronary artery disease by raising cholesterol levels.

•  Maintain a healthy weight. As you gain weight in adulthood, the increase is mostly fatty tissue. This excess weight can lead to conditions that increase your chances of heart disease, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes.

Even small weight reductions are beneficial: reducing your weight by just 10 percent can decrease your blood pressure, lower your blood cholesterol level and reduce your risk of diabetes.

•  Get regular health screenings for high blood pressure and cholesterol.  Without testing, you probably won't know whether you have these conditions that can damage your entire cardiovascular system.

The American Heart Association also provides a "Learn and Live Quiz" that enables you to determine your risk for heart problems.

For more information

•  Heart and Stroke Facts

•  U.S. National Library of Medicine

•  The National Coalition for Women with Heart Disease

Source: Mayo Clinic

This summary by Nubella News, a division of Marketing Technology Solutions, Inc., is a snapshot of larger, more detailed studies and/or research projects. Nubella News encourages all site visitors and readers interested in understanding the material contained within this article at a more detailed level, to perform additional research and investigation into the article topics, references, and any links provided within the material. Nubella News does not intend to offer medical advice. We recommend that all readers ask their doctor or medical professional for additional advice, guidance, and/or recommendations pertaining to this article.