Shop by Symptom

Heart Health

Heart disease kills more Americans each year than any other disease or illness. It is important to understand what makes heart disease so common and how you can reduce your chances of having heart disease. Heart disease can be silent (no symptoms) in some persons. They may not be aware of heart disease until they have a heart attack (also known as a myocardial infarction). More than 2600 Americans die every day from cardiovascular (heart and blood vessel) disease.

The August 20, 2003, issue of JAMA includes several articles about risk factors for heart disease. A risk factor is something that makes you more likely to have a disease, illness, or medical problem. Some risk factors are modifiable (can be made better). Other risk factors, such as age and genetics (family history), cannot be changed.

What factors are modifiable: Smoking or exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, Obesity, Sedentary lifestyle (not enough physical activity), Diabetes, High cholesterol or abnormal blood lipids (fats) and Hypertension (high blood pressure).

What factors are non-modifiable, Male sex, Age older than 50 years, Family history of heart disease, Stop smoking, Eat a low-fat diet rich in vegetables and fruits, Exercise daily for at least 30 minutes, Control diabetes and hypertension if you already have these medical problems, Manage your cholesterol and blood lipid levels if they are elevated, Know your family history, especially about heart attacks or sudden death at age younger than 50 years.

See your doctor regularly to assess heart risks, manage heart disease if it is already present, and reduce your risk of heart attack or sudden death.

Recommended products