Understanding Risk Factors in Cardiovascular Disease
What Are Risk Factors?
Risk factors are characteristics, conditions, or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD). Think of them as warning signs that your cardiovascular system might be under threat.
Risk factors can be divided into two main categories: modifiable and non-modifiable factors.
Non-Modifiable Risk Factors
These are factors we can't change, no matter how hard we try:
- Age
- Risk increases as we get older
- Men over 45 and women over 55 are at higher risk
- Gender
- Men generally have a higher risk than pre-menopausal women
- After menopause, women's risk increases significantly
- Family History
- Having close relatives with heart disease increases your risk
- Especially important if relatives developed CVD before age 55 (men) or 65 (women)
Modifiable Risk Factors
These are factors we can control through lifestyle changes:
- Physical Inactivity
- Sedentary lifestyle increases CVD risk significantly
- Regular exercise can reduce risk by up to 30%
- Smoking
- Damages blood vessels
- Increases blood pressure
- Makes blood more likely to clot
- Diet
- High saturated fat intake
- Excessive salt consumption
- Low fruit and vegetable intake
