Heart Disease Risk Factors
Some risk factors for heart disease can be controlled by lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise. Others, like gender, age and family history, cannot be changed.
The more risk factors a person has for coronary artery disease (CAD), the more likely it is that the person will develop heart problems or have a heart attack. Risk factors for CAD include:
- Being a man older than age 35
- Being a woman who has gone through menopause
- Being overweight
- Having high blood pressure (hypertension)
- Having diabetes
- Having high cholesterol
- Having a family history of heart disease
- Smoking cigarettes
- Being physically inactive
- Using cocaine and amphetamines
More information on Controllable Risk Factors such as tobacco use, high cholesterol levels, obesity and being overweight, high blood pressure and diabetes
More information on Uncontrollable Risk Factors such as age, gender and family history
More information on Contributing Factors to Heart Disease, such as stress, alcohol and use of birth control pills
Baylor professionals offer a HEART Beat Risk Profile Test, a health screening program that includes support and information to make lifestyle changes easier
If you are concerned about your risk factors, please discuss risk management with your health care provider. Call 1-800-4BAYLOR for cardiovascular information. You can also call 1-800-AHA-USA1 for information on heart disease, or 1-888-4-STROKE for information on stroke.
