| Risk factors for cardiovascular disease in the general population |
|---|
| Advancing age |
| Diabetes and other high blood glucose conditions |
| Dyslipidaemia |
| Genetic background |
| High alcohol consumption |
| Hypertension |
| Insulin resistance |
| Left ventricular hypertrophyWhen the heart muscle of the left ventricle becomes abnormally thickened. |
| Male gender |
| Menopause |
| Obesity |
| Sedentary lifestyle |
| Smoking |
Risk factors for cardiovascular disease in the general population include the following:
Advancing age: The risk of cardiovascular disease grows with age. It is significantly higher in men over 45 years of age and in women over 55 years of age.
Diabetes and other high blood glucose conditions: Diabetes is closely associated with a greater risk of the premature onset of cardiovascular disease.
Dyslipidaemia: Elevated blood levels of total cholesterol and of low-density lipoprotein (LDL)Cholesterol is carried in the blood stream by lipoproteins. The low-density lipoprotein (LDL) carries most of the cholesterol from the liver to the cells. If there is an excess of cholesterol or it cannot be properly delivered to the cells, LDL cholesterol tends to accumulate in the vessel walls, where it can lead to damage and contribute to the development of atherosclerosis. Therefore LDL cholesterol is considered 'bad' cholesterol. cholesterol, as well as low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL)Cholesterol is carried in the blood stream by lipoproteins. The high-density lipoprotein (HDL) recovers cholesterol from cells, vessel walls and other lipoproteins and thus tends to prevent or reverse the build-up of plaque in the arteries. That is why HDL cholesterol is considered 'good' or 'protective'. cholesterol are risk factors for cardiovascular disease. There is a continuous relationship between the levels and the risk. In some cases raised triglycerideThe major form of fat made in the liver. A triglyceride consists of three molecules of fatty acid combined with a molecule of the alcohol glycerol. Most of the fat we eat is composed of triglycerides. The rest is cholesterol. levels in the blood are also an independent risk factor.
Genetic background: Although the responsible genes have not been identified, a high risk of cardiovascular disease may be hereditary and can be identified in people with parents or siblings who have a history of cardiovascular disease at a premature age (ie before 55 years of age in men and before 65 years of age in women).
High alcohol consumption: Excess alcohol intake can worsen other risk factors such as hypertension.
Hypertension: Arterial pressure above the normal range (135mm Hg systolic and 85mm Hg diastolic) constitutes a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. As with lipids, there is a continuous relationship between the levels and risk. Risk may commence at lower levels of blood pressure in some susceptible individuals.
Insulin resistance: Recently it has been shown that people with resistance to the action of insulin at the cellular level have a greater risk of cardiovascular disease.
Left ventricular hypertrophy: The increased thickness of the heart's left ventricular muscle is also a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Initially it is a silent condition which has to be investigated by cardiac tests. It is mainly present in people with hypertension.
Male gender: Men have a higher risk of cardiovascular disease than women of the same age.
Menopause: Pre-menopausal women are protected against developing cardiovascular disease because the oestrogen made in their ovaries protects their hearts. The risk of cardiovascular disease increases in women after the menopause because the protective effect of oestrogen is lost.
Obesity: An excess of body fat has a marked adverse influence on risk factors such as hypertension, dyslipidaemia, diabetes and other forms of impaired glucose regulation. It can be identified by a high body mass index (BMI)A key index for assessing body weight in relation to height. The BMI is a person's weight in kilograms (kg) divided by their height in meters (m) squared. In the West a person is considered overweight when his/her BMI is above 25, obese when it is above 30 and severely obese when it is above 35. In Asia the recently-recommended corresponding BMIs are 23, 25 and 30 respectively.. The adverse effect of excess weight is more pronounced when the fat is concentrated mainly in the abdomen (central obesity), as happens usually in men. This can be identified by a high waist/hip ratio.
Sedentary lifestyle: Diminished physical activity has been shown in the population at large to be associated with an intensified risk of cardiovascular disease.
Smoking: Cigarette smoking in particular is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The risk starts with any daily amount and can be rapidly abolished by stopping the habit.
It is important to emphasize that the presence of multiple cardiovascular risk factors has a multiplicative and not an additive effect upon the incidence of coronary heart disease in the general population (see chart below).
