Who Is At Risk for Atherosclerosis?
Coronary
artery disease (atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries) is the leading
cause of death in the United States.
The exact cause of atherosclerosis isn't known.
However, certain traits, conditions, or habits may raise your chance of
developing it. These conditions are known as risk factors. Your chances of
developing atherosclerosis increase with the number of risk factors you have.
You can control most risk factors and help prevent
or delay atherosclerosis. Other risk factors can't be controlled.
Major Risk Factors
-
Unhealthy
blood cholesterol levels. This includes high LDL cholesterol (sometimes
called bad cholesterol) and low HDL cholesterol (sometimes called good
cholesterol).
- High
blood pressure. Blood pressure is considered high if it stays at or above
140/90 mmHg over a period of time.
- Smoking. This can damage and tighten blood
vessels, raise cholesterol levels, and raise blood pressure. Smoking also
doesn't allow enough oxygen to reach the body's tissues.
- Insulin resistance. This condition occurs when
the body can't use its own insulin properly. Insulin is a hormone that helps
move blood sugar into cells where it's used.
- Diabetes. This is a disease in which the bodys blood
sugar level is high because the body doesnt make enough insulin or
doesnt use its insulin properly.
- Overweight
or obesity. Overweight is having extra body weight from muscle, bone, fat,
and/or water. Obesity is having a high amount of extra body fat.
- Lack of physical activity. Lack of activity can
worsen other risk factors for atherosclerosis.
- Age. As you get older, your risk for
atherosclerosis increases. Genetic or lifestyle factors cause plaque to build
in your arteries as you age. By the time you're middle-aged or older, enough
plaque has built up to cause signs or symptoms.
- In men, the risk increases after age 45.
- In women, the risk increases after age 55.
- Family history of early heart disease. Your risk
for atherosclerosis increases if your father or a brother was diagnosed with
heart disease before 55 years of age, or if your mother or a sister was
diagnosed with heart disease before 65 years of age.
Although age and a family history of early heart
disease are risk factors, it doesn't mean that you will develop atherosclerosis
if you have one or both.
Making lifestyle changes and/or taking medicines to
treat other risk factors can often lessen genetic influences and prevent
atherosclerosis from developing, even in older adults.
Emerging Risk Factors
Scientists continue to study other possible risk
factors for atherosclerosis.
High levels of a protein called C-reactive protein
(CRP) in the blood may raise the risk for atherosclerosis and
heart
attack. High levels of CRP are proof of inflammation in the body.
Inflammation is the body's response to injury or infection. Damage to the
arteries' inner walls seems to trigger inflammation and help plaque grow.
People with low CRP levels may get atherosclerosis
at a slower rate than people with high CRP levels. Research is under way to
find out whether reducing inflammation and lowering CRP levels also can reduce
the risk of atherosclerosis.
High levels of fats called triglycerides in the
blood also may raise the risk of atherosclerosis, particularly in women.
Other Factors That Affect Atherosclerosis
Other risk factors also may raise your risk for
developing atherosclerosis. These include:
-
Sleep
apnea. Sleep apnea is a disorder in which your breathing stops or gets very
shallow while you're sleeping. Untreated sleep apnea can raise your chances of
having high blood pressure, diabetes, and even a heart attack or
stroke.
- Stress. Research shows that the most commonly
reported "trigger" for a heart attack is an emotionally upsetting
eventparticularly one involving anger.
- Alcohol. Heavy drinking can damage the heart
muscle and worsen other risk factors for atherosclerosis. Men should have no
more than two drinks containing alcohol a day. Women should have no more than
one drink containing alcohol a day.
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