Preventing Heart Disease Tips

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What can one drink a day help do?

Consider One Drink

A drink a day? Many people may rejoice in knowing that consuming alcohol may lower your risk of heart disease. However, it is with moderation that alcohol consumption is recommended for heart disease prevention.

Many experts now believe that consuming just one glass of alcohol a day such as beer or wine can lower your risk of a heart attack. This is just one glass. A glass is defined as 12 ounces of beer or four ounces of wine.

It is important to not drink any more than this, because drinking too much alcohol can cause problems with the liver and can actually increase your risk of heart attack or stroke.

   
How can I prevent getting heart disease?

Prevention of Heart Disease

Ways to decrease your risk of cardiovascular disease include:
· Choosing an overall healthy eating pattern
· Achieving and maintaining an appropriate weight
· Achieving and maintaining a desirable cholesterol profile and blood pressure level
· Cessation of tobacco usage
· Participating in 30 minutes of physical activity three or four days of each week
· Controlling diabetes through diet and, if necessary, medication

   
When will my doctor recommend cholesterol medication?

Medication for High Low-Density-Lipoprotein Levels

Drug therapy is recommended if a patient?s Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) level is over 100. For very high-risk patients, some medical professionals will recommend medication if this number is over 70.

   
How can I prevent getting heart disease?

Prevention of Heart Disease

Ways to decrease your risk of cardiovascular disease include:

· Choosing an overall healthy eating pattern

· Achieving and maintaining an appropriate weight

· Achieving and maintaining a desirable cholesterol profile and blood pressure level

· Cessation of tobacco usage

· Participating in 30 minutes of physical activity three or four days of each week

· Controlling diabetes through diet and, if necessary, medication

   
How can risk factor screening help prevent heart disease?

Risk Factor Screening

The American Heart Association believes that every adult should know his or her risk factors for heart disease. This means adults should consult with their physicians for appropriate heart disease screenings.

Screening for heart disease can detect any signs of heart disease that may otherwise go unnoticed. If anything is detected, doctors and patients can work together in order to take the appropriate measures to prevent heart disease from fully developing. The following screenings need to be done by your doctor:

-Adults at the age of 20 should have a risk factor assessment done by their physician.

-Family history of heart disease should be updated regularly for physicians.

-Doctor's should assess smoking and alcohol consumption and how much exercise a person gets at every routine physical.

-Blood pressure and BMI (body mass index)should be checked annually by a physician.

-Someone at risk for heart disease needs their cholesterol checked every two years. Those not at risk need it checked every five years.

Adults need to be their own advocate. If your physician has not done any type of risk factor screening for heart disease with you, please urge them to do so. It could save your life!

   
What is the waist-to-hip ratio?

Waist-to-Hip Ratio and Heart Disease

Having a high waist to hip ratio increases your risk for death overall, your risk of mortality due to cardiovascular disease or diabetes mellitus, and your risk of having high blood pressure.
To find out what your waist to hip ratio is, divide your hip measurement into your waist measurement. A male?s cutoff point is 0.95, and a female?s cutoff point is 0.8.

   
When will my doctor recommend cholesterol medication?

Medication for High Low-Density-Lipoprotein Levels

Drug therapy is recommended if a patient?s Low Density Lipoprotein (LDL) level is over 100. For very high-risk patients, some medical professionals will recommend medication if this number is over 70.

   
Aspirin can reduce your risk of heart disease by how much?

Consider Aspirin

Many people know that aspirin can be a real lifesaver. When taken at the first signs of a heart attack, aspirin can save your life.

What many people do not know is that, "An aspirin a day can help keep the heart disease away". Taking a low dose of aspirin (half of a regular aspirin) or a baby aspirin has been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease by 30 percent.

Taking an aspirin a day has also been shown to be beneficial to people who do not run the risk of heart disease or show no heart disease related events.

Aspirin therapy should be something that you and your doctor discuss before beginning. Aspirin can have adverse effects on people, so it is always a good idea to talk to your doctor before taking aspirin.

   
What interventions should one take if they are determined to be high risk for heart disease?

Risk Intervention

If someone has been determined to be at risk for heart disease from heart disease screenings, it is essential that doctors and patients begin intervening so heart disease can be prevented or stopped.

Some of these interventions include:

-Stop smoking: If you are a smoker and you are at risk for heart disease, please stop smoking. Smoking leaves people at extreme high risk for heart disease. By stopping smoking, you can reduce that risk greatly.

-Lower blood pressure: High blood pressure puts a person at increased risk of heart disease. By lowering your blood pressure, you reduce the risk of developing it. Changing your diet and exercising can help. At times, physicians may need to prescribe medication to lower blood pressure.

-Cholesterol: People with high cholesterol run a greater chance of developing heart disease. If you are at risk for heart disease and have high cholesterol, it needs to be lowered. Diet and exercise can assist in this, but often times medication is also needed.

Doctors will also recommend a healthier diet and establishing an exercise routine as a way to prevent heart disease.

   
What is the waist-to-hip ratio?

Waist-to-Hip Ratio and Heart Disease

Having a high waist to hip ratio increases your risk for death overall, your risk of mortality due to cardiovascular disease or diabetes mellitus, and your risk of having high blood pressure.
To find out what your waist to hip ratio is, divide your hip measurement into your waist measurement. A male?s cutoff point is 0.95, and a female?s cutoff point is 0.8.

   
How can educating yourself help prevent heart disease?

Educate Yourself

One sure way to help prevent heart disease is to know it! People who are educated about the heart and heart disease often times reduce their risk of developing it.

Why would a person who has educated himself on the heart and the diseases of it be able to reduce the risk of developing heart disease? Simple. Most often that person knows the proper things to do in order to live a life that is heart healthy.

That person would know that a healthy, low-fat and low-sodium diet is key to maintaining a healthy heart. That person would know what their cholesterol levels and blood pressure should be. That person would know that exercise is important in daily life.

Just by educating yourself, you can lead a healthier life that may stop heart disease from affecting you.

There are many websites and books that can be read that will educate a person on heart disease. If you aren't educated or want to learn more, pick up a book or search the web. The more you learn, the better and you can start implementing the changes that need to happen, thus reducing your risk.

Education is key!

   
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