Elizabeth A. Triana, MD

What are the Risk Factors for Heart Attack & Stroke?

Unfortunately the major risk factors are something that you can control and most of us don't do a very good job of it.

• Smoking - Using tobacco in any form, smoking pipes, cigars and snuff dramatically accelerates ones risk for heart attack and stroke.
• Obesity is a also a major risk factor, for as one gets older it fosters the development of metabolic syndrome and diabetes.
• A sedentary life style - simply going for a regular walk around the block several times a week dramatically reduces ones risk of heart attack and stroke.
• High blood pressure increases ones risk and should be aggressively treated. Ones risk doubles with each 20 mm increase in systolic pressure. For example; if maximum normal blood pressure is 120/80, a rise to 140/90 doubles ones risk.
• Diabetes is more serious than most realize and its risk is like having a heart attack and should be treated as such.
• Our genetic make up is a risk which can be identified with advanced blood testing and although we cannot change what we are born with, we can modify the harmful affects of bad genes.
• This is not a complete list, but just a reminder for us all.
• Our next issue will discuss woman and heart disease.

Newsletter Volume 1 - Number 2