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Heart Risk Factors
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What you can do to reduce your risk:
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If advised by your doctor, take medicine to lower blood pressure and cholesterol.
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Stop using nicotine products (cigarettes, cigars, pipe, snuff, chewing tobacco).
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Lose weight and start a regular exercise program. It is recommended that you perform a minimum of 30 minutes of moderate activity at least 3-4 times per week. Talk to your doctor before starting any exercise program.
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Eat nutritious food in moderation, and follow a low fat, low cholesterol diet.
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Learn to control and manage your stress.
If you have questions about your heart health, or need help in making these lifestyle changes, please contact your doctor. If you do not have a doctor, call the TriHealth Referral Line at (513) 569-5400 for a referral to a physician who practices at Bethesda North or Good Samaritan hospital.
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What you can control:
Smoking - Smoking reduces the blood’s oxygen supply, injures artery walls and raises your heart rate and blood pressure.
High Blood Pressure - High blood pressure increases the workload on the heart and blood vessels. This may result in the heart becoming enlarged and the arteries becoming scarred or less elastic. Your blood pressure should be less than 135/85.
High Cholesterol - Too much cholesterol in the blood can cause arteries to clog. Your total cholesterol level should be less than 200, triglycerides less than 150, LDL (“bad cholesterol”) less than 130 and HDL (“good cholesterol”) greater than 40.
Being Overweight - Extra weight can raise your blood pressure and makes your heart work harder.
Lack of Exercise - Lack of activity or a sedentary lifestyle contributes to obesity. Regular exercise can help with weight loss. It also strengthens the heart and arteries.
High Stress - Stress can increase both heart rate and blood pressure.
Diabetes - Diabetes is linked with an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. Diabetes damages the walls of the arteries. If you have diabetes, your fasting blood sugar should be less than 120 and glycosylated hemoglobin (HG-A1c) less than 7 percent.
What you cannot control:
Heredity - If a close relative has had a heart attack or stroke, your risk for these diseases increases.
Age - As we age, our risk increases.
Sex - In general, men are more likely to develop heart disease than women. A woman’s risk increases at menopause or with the presence of other risk factors.
Race - African Americans tend to have a higher rate of heart disease.
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