Thursday, February 14, 2013

Reduce Your Risk of Heart Disease

It is never too early to think about taking care of your heart in an effort to reduce your risk of heart attacks or heart disease.  It is important to consult your doctor and discuss all the possible ways to reduce the heart attacks and live a healthy life.

Risk Factors for Heart Disease

There are numerous risk factors intended for heart attacks or heart disease. Some of them are controllable while others are uncontrollable.


Uncontrollable risk factors incorporate:

1.    Older age
2.    Hereditary of heart disease
3.    Post-menopausal
4.    Race (African Americans, American Indians, and Mexican Americans are more likely to have heart disease than Caucasians)

Changes in your routine lifestyle can truly reduce your risk for heart disease. Controllable risk factors include:
1.    Smoking.
2.    High LDL, or "bad" cholesterol and low HDL, or "good" cholesterol.
3.    Uncontrolled high blood pressure.
4.    Physical stillness.
5.    Obesity.
6.    Uncontrolled diabetes.
7.    Uncontrolled stress and anger.


Reduce your Risk of Heart Disease

Change in your routine lifestyle is a verified method for dropping your risk of heart disease. While there are no guarantees that a healthy lifestyle will keep the heart disease away, these changes will surely improve your health in other ways, such as improving your physical and emotional well being.

Some effective ways to reduce the risk of heart disease:

Quit smoking - Smokers have twice the risk for heart attack or strokes as compared to the nonsmokers. Smoking is also the most preventable risk factor.

Improve cholesterol levels - The risk for heart disease increases as your cholesterol increases. Low cholesterol and saturated diet will help in lowering the cholesterol levels & reduce the risk for heart disease. Frequent Medications are needed so as to reach the cholesterol goals.

Control hypertension - Like cholesterol, blood pressure interpretation and treatment should be individualized, taking into account your entire risk profile. Control your blood pressure numbers through a well managed diet, exercises, weight management and medications.

Control diabetes - Diabetes can contribute to major heart damage, including heart attacks and death. Control your diabetes with the help of healthy diet, exercises, weight control and medications as suggested by your doctor.

Lack of physical activity - An inactive lifestyle contributes to high blood cholesterol levels and obesity. A regular aerobic exercise gives you a better cardiovascular fitness, which decreases the overall risk of heart attack and diseases.

Obesity - Obesity raises the risk of heart attacks because it's coupled with high blood cholesterol levels, high blood pressure and diabetes.

Manage stress - Inadequately controlled stress and anger also lead to heart attacks and strokes. Use stress and anger management techniques to lower the risk. Try the new techniques such as guided imagery, massage, Tai Chi, or yoga.

We at AOK Emergency Room always try to reduce the risk of heart attacks and heart diseases. We provide the immediate medical attention if, any symptoms of stroke or chest discomfort are being experienced by our patients, as they could be an early warning signs. Call (281)542-3998 for 24 hour emergency care services in Houston.

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