Cardiovascular disease (CVD) — including heart disease, stroke, and high blood pressure — is the number one killer of men and women in the United States.
- Heart disease is a term that includes several more specific heart conditions.
- The most common heart disease in the United States is coronary heart disease, which can lead to heart attack.
Know Your Risk!
Risk factors for heart disease and stroke include:
- High blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose levels
- Smoking
- Inadequate intake of fruits and vegetables
- Overweight and obesity
- Physical inactivity
Taken together, these major risk factors account for around 80% of deaths from heart disease and stroke. The only way to know your level of risk is to be assessed by a healthcare professional and to be checked for factors such as your blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose levels, waist measurement and BMI. Once you know your overall risk, agree with your health care professional on a plan for specific actions you should take to reduce your risk for heart disease and stroke.
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2/11/2022
Signs and symptoms of a heart attack can differ between women and men. If you have any of these symptoms, call 911 quickly.
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2/15/2021
Dear Doc: I can’t speak for everyone, but I know where I live, we’ve still got a month or so of extreme cold weather left. Following the advice from your last column, I’m pushing through with my outdoor workouts. While I am staying warm, I’ve noticed that I get tired quicker than I would when it’s warm outside. I’ve also heard that your heart must work harder when you’re working out outside during the winter. How can I make sure I’m not risking my heart health to keep up my routine?
–-Trying to be Heart Smart
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