Understand Your Risk for Heart Disease

A new Australian study will determine whether a cardiac CT scan can replace invasive coronary angiography as an investigative tool in mild heart attacks. Shutterstock

The first step toward heart health is understanding your risk of heart disease. Your risk depends on many factors, some of which are changeable and others that are not. Risk factors are conditions or habits that make a person more likely to develop a disease. These risk factors may be different for each person.

Preventing heart disease starts with knowing what your risks factors are and what you can do to lower them.

Risk Factors for Heart Disease

• Have high blood pressure
• Have high blood cholesterol
• Have overweight or obesity
• Have prediabetes or diabetes
• Smoke
• Do not get regular physical activity
• Have a family history of early heart disease, for example if your father or brother was diagnosed before age 55, or your mother or sister was diagnosed before age 65
• Have a history of preeclampsia, which is a sudden rise in blood pressure and too much protein in the urine during pregnancy
• Have unhealthy eating behaviors
• Are age 55 or older for women or age 45 or older for men

Each risk factor increases your chance of developing heart disease. The more risks you have, the higher your overall risk.