Answer These Questions to Better Understand Your Risk of Heart Disease.

Heart disease has been the leading cause of death in the United States for 100 years—a fact that most people don’t know, according to a report from the American Heart Association. With a heart attack occurring about every 40 seconds in the U.S., understanding your unique risk factors for heart disease could be life-saving. 

To advocate for your best heart health, a clear understanding of your cardiac risks—and asking your doctor or cardiologist plenty of questions—are wonderful starting points. 

Know your numbers, including blood pressure and cholesterol, so you can have meaningful conversations with your doctor. While some things are beyond your control, such as genetics or age, other heart disease risk factors can be reduced or erased with lifestyle changes or medications. 

Pay close attention to any signs or symptoms of heart disease, including:
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• Chest pain

• Extreme fatigue

• Light headedness 

• Shortness of breath

Women may also experience other, subtle symptoms, such as:
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• Indigestion or nausea

• Pain in the top part of the stomach, back, or jaw

• Numb or tingling fingers

Visit your doctor right away if you have any concerns. Together, you can take proactive steps to protect your heart, reduce the risk of cardiac disease, and detect or treat conditions early for better outcomes.

1. Is your lifestyle heart healthy?

Evaluating your lifestyle is a good place to start thinking about cardiac risks. Healthy routines can help strengthen your heart. Look for opportunities to form positive habits, such as:
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• Eat whole grains, green vegetables, and fresh fruit. Avoid processed foods and saturated fats. 

• Get plenty of sleep. Sleeping at least seven hours gives your heart a chance to rest, lowering your blood pressure.

• Limit alcohol. Excess alcohol can negatively affect blood pressure.

• Reduce stress. While it’s hard to avoid stressful situations all together, remember that ongoing, chronic stress is hard on your heart.

• Set aside time to exercise. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week to give your heart a healthy workout.

• Strive for a healthy weight. Excess weight can cause inflammation and strain the cardiovascular system.

• Quit smoking. The risk of developing heart disease can be up to four times more for people who smoke.

Talk with your doctor about the lifestyle changes that are right for you and your heart. Working as a team, you can set healthy goals and make a plan to achieve them.

2. Do you have a traditional risk factor for heart disease?

When thinking about your heart health, consider whether you have any traditional cardiac risk factors or common medical conditions linked to heart disease.

Hypertension, or high blood pressure

Blood pressure that’s consistently higher than 120/80 mmHg strains arteries. If left untreated, high blood pressure can contribute to heart conditions like arteriosclerosis/atherosclerosis (plaque buildup in arteries or veins) or heart failure. 

Because high blood pressure typically doesn’t have symptoms, checking these numbers regularly with an at-home blood pressure monitor (we recommend an arm cuff) is a great way to keep track of these readings. Pay attention to any trends, take notes, and call your doctor right away to discuss readings that aren’t normal for you. 

High blood pressure is typically treatable with diet and exercise or medications. For hypertension that stays high despite these interventions, renal denervation may be an effective treatment option.

Related: Read “Minimally Invasive Therapy for High Blood Pressure: A New Tool to Manage Resistant Hypertension.”

High cholesterol

Your body needs cholesterol to create hormones and healthy cells. Cholesterol is made of two types of fat: low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL). 

LDL is considered “bad cholesterol” and is common in saturated fats, such as red meat and butter. HDL is “good cholesterol.” It’s found in healthy fats, like lean meat and plant oils. As it moves through the vascular system, good HDL picks up bad LDL and carries it away. When bad LDL outnumbers good HDL, waxy plaque can build up inside vessels over time and cause a heart attack. 

A simple blood test called a lipid panel can check for high cholesterol, including triglycerides that may also increase the risk of cardiovascular disease if too high. 

Optimal cholesterol numbers are typically:
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• HDL: 60 mg/dL or more   

• LDL: 100 mg/dL or less

• Triglycerides:150 mg/dL or less

• Total cholesterol: 200 mg/dL or less

Adopting a heart-healthy diet, such as the Mediterranean Diet, may be enough to improve cholesterol numbers. Medications including statins can also help control cholesterol levels. Your doctor can recommend the treatment path that’s right for your health needs.

Diabetes and inflammatory conditions

Diabetes is a chronic condition that affects the body’s ability to convert sugar and other foods into energy. It causes high blood sugar, or a fasting blood glucose level greater than 125 mg/dL. If not managed, high blood sugar can inflame and irritate arteries. The same is true for inflammatory autoimmune conditions, such as lupus or rheumatoid arthritis. This inflammation can cause stiff, plaque-lined arteries over time.

Managing inflammatory conditions is an important step to protecting your heart. If you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes, be sure you’re monitoring your blood sugar, take your medicine as prescribed, and talk with your doctor if your blood sugar levels are too high or low.

3. Do you have a hidden risk factor for heart disease?

Feeling fine doesn’t always mean the risk of heart disease is low. Some cardiac risks may be easily overlooked. It’s important to consider hidden factors.
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• Heart disease can be inherited. While we can’t change genetics, we can take proactive steps to enhance your heart health. Investigate your family history of heart disease. Talk with close family members about any heart conditions. Discuss your discoveries with your primary care doctor. Your doctor may recommend genetic testing or visiting a cardiologist if you’re experiencing symptoms.

• Women have unique hidden risks. Menopause can impact heart health due to decreasing levels of heart-protecting estrogen, and overall changes in blood pressure and cholesterol. Past pregnancy complications—such as pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, or preterm labor—can raise your risk of developing heart disease. Talk with your doctor to be sure you’re taking the right preventative measures.

Related: Read “Menopause and Heart Health: Why Past Pregnancy Complications Matter."

Your doctor and cardiologist are your heart care partners.

Visit your primary care doctor for routine physical exams, blood pressure monitoring, and tests. Check in with a cardiologist whenever you’re concerned about symptoms you may experience. Remember, you are your best heart-health advocate. Pay close attention to your numbers—from blood pressures to blood test results—so you can ask questions about your cardiac risks. 

At MedStar Health, our primary care providers and cardiology specialists work together to optimize your heart health. From preventative heart treatments to specialized cardiac procedures, our teams put our whole hearts into caring for yours.