Discover Your Risks For Cardiovascular Disease
There are numerous risk factors for developing heart disease; high LDL cholesterol is just one. Family history plays a substantial role. Should your father have had a heart attack or heart stroke prior to age 55 or your mother had a heart attack or stroke prior to 65, you have a higher risk. The same increased risk factor applies if your siblings had cardiac arrest or strokes in those age brackets. Hypertension, cigarette smoking, diabetic issues, chronic kidney disease, being 30% or even more over your ideal body mass (as determined by your BMI), metabolic syndrome, resulting in a sedentary lifestyle, HDL of less than 40 mg/dL and females with premature menopause all raise your heart attack and stroke risk factors. A previous personal history of any sort of cardiac event also puts you at a higher risk of having a heart attack or stroke.
Offsetting factors
There are various positive factors that assist offset risk factors. High levels of HDL or "good" cholestrerol levels are extremely beneficial in preventing heart problems or at least offsetting risk factors. The Framingham study and others have suggested that for every single point increase in HDL, there is a corresponding drop in your risk of having a heart attack by 2%-3%. Some of us are just plain fortunate and are born with high HDL. Others are not so fortunate and struggle to increase their HDL and even with excessive physical exercise are helpless to raise it. HDL below 40 is regarded as a risk factor. HDL of more than 60 is regarded as a positive factor for cardiovascular disease. Total cholesterol readings are not the best barometer of cardiovascular disease risk. Even though high HDL levels and low LDL levels are no guarantee, your risk factors are most assuredly lowered with high HDL and further reduced with low LDL levels. Overall or total high cholesterol levels are less precise as a predictor but most often a high total cholesterol reading is as a result of high LDL.
Physical activity a preventive for heart disease
Consistent exercise or work out is a very real and effective way to reduce the risk of cardiac arrest and strokes. Cardio workout is the best way to strengthen your heart muscle, raise HDL levels and lower blood pressure. To get the most heart health advantage out of any exercise routine, you should get your pulse rate elevated. If you have not exercised for an extended time frame and otherwise lead an inactive lifestyle, you should speak to your doctor prior to starting any exercise program. Once you have been given the go ahead you still need to start slow and increase your exertion at a rate you are comfortable with for two reasons. First is your muscles as well as your heart require time to build up. Trying to accomplish it all at once will make you sore and may not be the best for your heart. The second reason is that if you hurt yourself by using muscles and tendons that are not accustomed to that kind of intense use, you may end up getting injuries or be so tender that you don't feel like staying consistent with your exercise session. Regularity is the most important factor. You will increase your conditioning rapidly if you are regular with your newfound exercise routine.
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