In Southwest Michigan, nearly 84,000 adults are at risk for developing heart disease. While age and family history are risk factors that are out of your control, here are seven things that you can do now:
1. Stop smoking. Smokers are up to four times more likely to develop heart disease than nonsmokers.
2. Control high blood pressure. High blood pressure (hypertension) occurs when blood pushes too hard against artery walls as it flows through them. This damages the artery lining.
3. Control high cholesterol. Even a 10% reduction in your total cholesterol may lower your risk for heart disease.
4. Lose extra weight. If you are obese, you increase the workload on the heart and blood vessels.
5. Get physically active. Start with small goals and ask your health care provider before starting an exercise routine.
6. Control diabetes. Ongoing high blood sugar scars the vessels and can cause heart attacks, strokes and narrowing of arteries to major muscles and organs such as the heart and brain.
7. Manage stress. Positive mental health is linked to a lower risk of heart disease.
“While heart disease remains the number one cause of death for adults in the United States, there are other types of heart conditions that can shorten life expectancy and reduce quality of life. These include heart attacks, congestive heart failure, valvular heart disease and heart arrhythmias,” said John-Philip Markovic, MD, cardiologist, Corewell Health. “At Corewell Health in Southwest Michigan, we are proud to offer the full range of procedural, surgical and medical treatments for each of these conditions, which is a gift for a community our size,” he added.
With heart and vascular offices in Benton Harbor, Coloma, Niles and St. Joseph, Corewell Health is committed to reducing heart disease through prevention, risk awareness, community education, rapid treatment and rehabilitation.
Jun 29, 2023 Reporting from Niles, MI
Do You Know the Risk Factors for Heart Disease?
https://www.spectrumhealthlakeland.org/health-wellness/ask-the-experts/ask-the-experts/2023/06/29/do-you-know-the-risk-factors-for-heart-disease
Jun 29, 2023
Jun 29, 2023
SpectrumHealth Lakeland
In Southwest Michigan, nearly 84,000 adults are at risk for developing heart disease. While age and family history are risk factors that are out of your control, here are seven things that you can do now:1. Stop smoking. Smokers are up to four times more likely to develop heart disease tha
Do You Know the Risk Factors for Heart Disease?
SpectrumHealth Lakeland
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