Betsy’s smoking, age, and sedentary job put her at risk for a heart attack. Here’s what matters when it comes to heart attacks:
- Family history—If your father had heart problems before age 55 or your mother had problems before age 65, or if your brothers or sisters have had heart attacks, talk with your doctor and be especially careful to minimize other risks.
- Smoking—Heart health is only one of many reasons to quit.
- Cholesterol—Cholesterol abnormalities, meaning both high LDL (bad cholesterol) and low HDL (good cholesterol), in some cases, can be controlled through diet and exercise. Often, however, medication may be needed.
- High blood pressure—Hypertension (chronic high blood pressure) is a condition with few or no self-evident symptoms. It may be controllable through diet and exercise and, as with cholesterol levels, with medication.
- Diabetes—If you have diabetes, you have a much higher risk of heart attacks which may occur with atypical symptoms. It is extremely important to work with your doctor to manage your diabetes.
- Physical inactivity—Regular, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity can help control blood cholesterol, diabetes, and obesity, as well as help lower blood pressure and reduce your risk of heart attack.
To find our about your own risk and for additional resources, take the Cardiac Risk Assessment on the medical society’s Family Health & Wellness website.