Identify each of the non-modifiable and modifiable (both major and contributing) CVD risk factors and how they can lead to Heart Disease

n order to prevent some type of heart disease from happening during one's lifetime, a person really needs to look at some of the major causes of Heart Disease. When looking at these causes, there are several risk factors that one can change and there are a few that a person can not change (or modify). Below, you will find two separate categories of risk factors for heart disease, those you can not change (Non-modifiable) and those that you can do something about (Modifiable).

Non-Modifiable Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors

These are all risk factors for heart disease that one can not do anything about.

1) Age

Men's risk start to increase at 45 years old. And a woman's risk starts to increase at 55 years old

2) Gender

Men are always at a higher risk. There is a huge gap in risk of having heart disease between men and women prior to a woman going through Menopause. After menopause, a woman's risk for heart disease increases greatly, but she will still have a lower risk at any age. You can see the differences across various age groups in the figure just below:

3) Heredity

Your family’s history of cardiovascular disease indicates your risk. If a first-degree blood relative (parents or brother/sister) has had coronary heart disease or stroke before the age of 55 years (for a male relative) or 65 years (for a female relative) your risk increases. Therefore, your parents have to look at their parents age at which someone may have had a form of heart disease. And then each student in this class will need to follow his/her mother or father.

4) Race/ethnicity

Those individuals from an African American descent have a higher risk for heart disease compared to those from other ethnic backgrounds. Much of the reason can be traced to African American's (on average) have higher blood pressures.

For more information, go to this website: Click Here for a link to race and heart disease article

Modifiable Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors

This category can also be broken down into Major Modifiable Risk factors and Contributing Risk factors

Major Modifiable Risk Factors

1) Tobacco

Smoking and other tobacco products compile the number one reason people have heart attacks. This risk factor is extremely preventable, but many choose to ignore the warnings over their lifetime and continue to smoke.

Many of the reasons why smoking causes (yes causes, not related to... causes) heart disease risk to increase can be found on this link: Click here for Smoking and heart disease risk information

4) Obesity

For information on why Obesity is a risk factor, visit this website (specifically the section on Why obesity causes heart disease): Click Here for information on Obesity and heart disease risk. And one more site: Click Here for second site about obesity and cardiovascular disease risk. This risk factor is also modifiable by having a person lower his/her body composition level to a healthier range (and remember that range does NOT mean that person has to be skinny.)

5) Physical Inactivity

Physical inactivity by itself is also a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. For someone who is inactive, their risk for having higher blood pressure, higher cholesterol, higher body composition levels, and Diabetes as well as higher stress levels (see below) also increases. For more information, go to this website: Click Here for information on Physical INactivity and Disease risk (click on Modifiable Risk Factors).

There was also a study released that demonstrates how important exercise might be in preventing a number of chronic diseases. And this study found that non-fit people were worse compared to smokers or those with high blood pressure: https://www.cnn.com/2018/10/19/health/study-not-exercising-worse-than-smoking/index.html

Contributing Risk Factors that are also Modifiable

The risk factors found just below also can contribute to a person getting heart disease, but they are not as "major" as the five from above.

1) Stress

We have already mentioned numerous times that stress increases blood pressure and can keep it elevated. That is why Stress will contribute to heart disease because by having an elevated blood pressure, a person's arteries may become damaged leading to atherosclerosis.

2) Diabetes

For information on how diabetes and cardiovascular disease are inter-related, please visit this website: Click Here for information on diabetes and disease risk

3) Alcohol

The last risk to mention is drinking alcohol. In moderation it is ok... by the way, we have not really mentioned what "moderation" is yet in class... we'll get to that. But beyond moderation, that is where we run into problems. Go to this website to see how drinking alcohol is related to an increased risk in cardiovascular disease: Click here for alcohol and CVD risk. But you are young right?! Drinking alcohol now won't affect your chances of having a heart attack when you are 60 years old, right!? Another video for you to watch... Click Here for another BORING video