Preventing Heart Disease

What is heart disease?

Heart disease refers to a range of conditions that impact the heart's structure, function and blood vessels. Around the world—and in the United States—it is the leading cause of death for both men and women.

Common types of heart disease include: 

• Coronary Artery Disease (CAD): The most common type, occurring when plaque builds up in the arteries (atherosclerosis), narrowing them and reducing blood flow to the heart muscle.
• Arrhythmias: Problems with the rate or rhythm of the heartbeat, such as the heart beating too fast (tachycardia), too slow (bradycardia), or irregularly (atrial fibrillation).
• Cardiomyopathy: Diseases of the heart muscle that cause it to become enlarged, thick or stiff.
• Congenital Heart Defects: Structural heart problems present from birth.
• Heart Failure: A chronic condition where the heart cannot pump blood efficiently enough to meet the body’s needs.
• Heart Valve Disease: Damage to or defects in the valves that regulate blood flow through the heart's chambers.
• Vascular Disease: Problems with blood vessels, including arteries and veins, like Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD).

Is heart disease preventable?

Making changes to your lifestyle, getting regular health screenings, and managing risk factors can help lower your chances of developing heart disease. The American Heart Association has identified Life’s Essential 8 as important steps for boosting and preserving cardiovascular health. These measures include:

1. Eat Better – Strive for a balanced diet that emphasizes whole foods, fruits and vegetables, lean proteins, nuts, seeds, and the use of non-tropical oils for cooking.
2. Be More Active – Get 2.5 hours of moderate exercise per week.
3. Quit Tobacco – Avoid smoking, vaping or exposure to secondhand smoke.
4. Get Healthy Sleep – Aim for 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep per day.
5. Manage Weight – Achieve and maintain a body weight that is healthy for your body composition.
6. Control Cholesterol – Monitor non-HDL cholesterol (“bad” cholesterol) to ensure it remains within healthy parameters.
7. Manage Blood Sugar – Maintain optimal blood glucose levels by monitoring hemoglobin A1c to ensure fasting blood glucose level is below 100 mg/dL.
8. Manage Blood Pressure – Keep blood pressure below the recommended threshold of 120/80 mm Hg.

While it is possible to prevent heart disease by changing certain lifestyle habits, there are some risk factors you can't change, including:

• Age: As you age, your likelihood of developing heart disease increases.
• Family history: If any male relatives developed heart disease before 55, or female relatives before 65, your chances may be higher. Knowing as much as possible about your family’s medical history is beneficial.
• Ethnicity: People who are African American, Mexican American, American Indian, native Hawaiian, or South Asian American have a greater risk for heart disease.

Despite these uncontrollable risks, making healthy lifestyle adjustments gives you considerable power to lower your chances of heart disease.