What are "risk factors"?
"Risk factors" refers to all individual, or even social factors, which are associated with a greater likelihood of developing coronary artery disease (CAD). |
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Biological risk factors
There is generally little you can do to alter this set of risk factors. Being male is in itself a risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD). |
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Inherited risk factors
Inherited risk factors for heart disease is under intensive investigation and it’s likely that we’ll see a major expansion of our understanding of genetic causes in future. |
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Behavioural risk factors
This is the most important category of risk factors for two reasons – firstly, you can modify them and secondly, they’re the most common. |
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Smoking greatest lifestyle factor
Cigarette smoking is probably the most potent single lifestyle factor contributing to risk of coronary artery disease in the populations of Western and developing nations. |
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Exercise cuts heart disease risk
We know that regular exercise reduces your risk of coronary artery disease (CAD), and probably many other diseases as well. The mechanisms are multiple. |
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The effect of other illnesses
Other illnesses and other risk factors in themselves can promote the development of coronary artery disease (CAD). |
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How obesity hurts your heart
Obesity predisposes to raised triglyceride levels and low HDL, both of which are independent risk factors for coronary artery disease. |
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Insulin resistance and diabetes
There is a rising incidence of type 2 diabetes in the same populations affected by obesity and coronary artery disease (CAD), since type 2 diabetes is also a disease of lifestyle. |
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Effect of existing heart disease
At first glance it appears illogical to include coronary artery disease (CAD) as a risk factor for itself, but it does make clinical sense. |
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Stress and heart disease
The study of “stress” is being increasingly refined and new data strongly supports the view that it does indeed cause heart disease. |
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Other important risk factors
Hypothyroidism, alcohol abuse, increased homocysteine levels are a few of the other important risk factors for coronary artery disease. |
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Your risk profile
There are two almost insuperable barriers to providing a precise and confident estimation of risk for any individual except, possibly, under special circumstances. |
