Heart disease is the biggest cause of death for both men and women in the United States. This has been true for over 100 years, even though public health has improved a lot.
Doctors know that high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and smoking increase the risk of heart disease. They use these factors to find out how at risk patients are and to give treatment advice. Recently, experts have started to think about more things that can increase the risk of heart disease.
Smoking rates are going down, and there are better treatments for cholesterol and blood pressure. Because of this, heart attack and stroke rates have dropped in the last 50 years. But now, new problems like obesity and diabetes are making this progress difficult, as are rising heart failure rates.
To address these issues, the American Heart Association created a new tool. This tool, called PREVENT, helps doctors see the risks of heart failure, heart attacks, and strokes more clearly.
Dr. Michael Nanna, a heart doctor, says that the main risks for heart disease have not really changed. But now, people know more about other risks that can cause heart problems.
Main Risks for Heart Disease
Conditions that cause plaque to build up in blood vessels are very concerning. Plaque can block blood flow and cause problems like chest pain. If plaques break off, they can block important arteries, leading to heart attacks or strokes, as explained by Dr. Jeremy Sussman from the University of Michigan.
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