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Heart Attack - Coronary Heart Disease - Metabolic Syndrome Risk Assessment
It’s essential that you measure your risk of heart disease and make a plan for how to prevent it in the near future. Use this tool to help you assess your risk of having a heart attack or dying from coronary heart disease in the next 10 years. It will also check to see if you may have metabolic syndrome, a group of risk factors that greatly increase your chances of developing cardiovascular disease, including stroke and diabetes. This Risk Assessment can be use by people age 20 or older who do not already have heart disease or diabetes. After you have finished using the tool, you can upload your results into your personal Google HealthTM account or you can print a copy of your risk assessment results, risk factor summary report, metabolic syndrome assessment and action plans for those areas you need to work on in order to reduce your risk.
What do I need to know to use this tool? What is the Why should I create my own personal health account? This risk assessment tool can be used by anyone age 20 or older who doesn't already have heart disease or diabetes. By age 40, everyone should know their risk score using this tool and should assess their risk every five years (or more often if risk factors change). If you have a family member who had heart disease at an early age (mother or sister before age 65, or father or brother before age 55) you should know about your risk factors and be screened earlier than age 20. Tell your doctor about your family history and ask about your own risk. Do not use this tool if you already have been diagnosed with heart disease, diabetes, peripheral arterial disease, abdominal aortic aneurysm or carotid artery disease. You are already at high risk (more than 20 percent) to have a heart attack or die from coronary heart disease in the next 10 years. Talk to your doctor about your risk of a heart attack or future heart problems. If you have Type 2 diabetes, take the My Diabetes Health Assessment instead. What do I need to know to use this tool? You must know your blood pressure, cholesterol (lipid) levels (total, LDL, HDL and triglycerides), and blood sugar levels. See your doctor to get these tests if you have not already had them. You also need to know your height, weight, and waist circumference. If you don’t know some of these numbers, the tool will use average data for someone who is your age and gender. Your risk assessment will be much more accurate if you use your own data. This risk assessment tool uses a scoring system from a study know as the Framingham Heart Study to assess your risk of heart attack or dying of coronary heart disease in the next 10 years. It uses national guidelines known as the ATP III guidelines for assessing metabolic syndrome Note: If your risk score is low, it doesn’t mean you’re off the hook. Even one risk factor, such as high cholesterol, that is not treated may lead to a higher risk later in life. Work to modify all your risk factors to improve your overall health. What is the The Framingham Heart Study is one of the most important public health studies in American medical history. The study's goal is to learn why people get cardiovascular disease, and how it evolves and results in death in the general population. This information will help researchers find out, over a long time, how those who develop cardiovascular diseases differ from those who don't. ATP III is a report written by the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) that provides guidelines for healthcare professionals on how to prevent, detect, evaluate and treat high cholesterol in adults. ATP III is endorsed by the American Heart Association and is sponsored by the NHLBI (National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute). For more information about ATP III, visit http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/guidelines/cholesterol/ Some people may have a group of risk factors that greatly increase their chances of developing cardiovascular disease, including stroke, and diabetes. The clinical identification of metabolic syndrome is based on the following risk factors:
The safest and best way to prevent and treat metabolic syndrome is to make healthy changes in your habits: lose weight, increase physical activity levels and eat right. Medicine may also help some people. Also, don’t smoke. Smoking is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Learn more about metabolic syndrome Google HealthTM is a free online product that puts patients in charge of their health information by letting them store and manage their medical records online in one safe, secure place. Learn more about Google Health. Why should I create my own personal health account? Owning and maintaining a Personal Health Record (PHR) is the first step to ensuring that your health is in your hands. A PHR gives healthcare providers the most complete picture available of your current and past health, allowing them to provide the most effective, personalized and safe treatment possible. In a PHR, your health information is safely maintained and readily available no matter where you are or what your circumstances. During catastrophic events such as natural disasters, a personal health record ensures that your health information will not be lost and can be obtained by your healthcare provider and pharmacists. A PHR can also allow multiple healthcare providers to see your records, ensuring continuity of care with less duplication of tests and helping to avoid medical errors. Learn more about Personal Health Records.
This content is reviewed regularly. Last updated 02/20/09. |
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