The following is an Editorial Resource from YourTotalHealth.
Are You at Risk for Heart Disease?
Reviewed by: Abdou Elhendy, M.D., PhD, FACC, FAHA
High cholesterol is an important risk factor for heart disease. Beginning at age 20, adults should have their cholesterol checked at least every five years. As you get into your 30s and 40s, that frequency may increase. The frequency of your testing may depend on whether or not you have any of these additional heart disease risks:
- Family history of heart disease or high cholesterol, defined as a parent or sibling with early heart disease (men before age 55, women before age 65)
- Age — men over 45 and women over 55 (for women, the increased risk appears after menopause, when the body’s estrogen levels decrease)
- High blood pressure (greater than 140/90)
- Diabetes
- Tobacco use
- Sedentary lifestyle
- High-fat diet
- Overweight — A body mass index (BMI) of more than 25. BMIs of 18.6 to 24.9 are in the normal range. A BMI less than 18.6 is considered thin and may be unhealthy for other reasons. BMIs of 25 to 29.9 are considered overweight and BMIs of 30 or over are in the obese range.
To figure out your BMI, use our calculator.
- Metabolic syndrome — This collection of symptoms also increases risk for heart disease, in addition to diabetes and stroke. A person is considered to have metabolic syndrome if they have any three of these five characteristics:
- Abdominal obesity
- High blood pressure
- High fasting blood sugar
- High triglycerides
- Low HDL cholesterol
The highest risk
If you are at very high risk of getting a heart attack, you may need to be checked more often and also bring your cholesterol levels even lower than normal. In 2004, the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) updated their guidelines to define who is at the greatest risk of heart disease:
- High risk and very high risk people are those who already have heart disease or disease of the blood vessels to the brain or extremities, diabetes, or two or more risk factors above (such as smoking and high blood pressure) that give them a greater than 20 percent chance of having a heart attack within 10 years. For these people, doctors say that getting LDL levels under 100 might not be enough. People in this category may need medication to get LDL levels under 70 mg/dL.
- Moderately high risk people are those who have two or more risk factors for coronary heart disease together with a 10 to 20 percent risk of heart attack within 10 years. Drug therapy may be recommended to people in this category whose LDL levels are 100 to 129 or higher to get their levels to below 100.
- Lower/moderate risk people are those who have fewer than two risk factors for heart disease or two or more risk factors but have less than 10 percent risk of a heart attack in 10 years. For people in this group, LDL levels under 130 are generally considered safe and lifestyle changes may be all that are needed to control LDLs.
What's Next: Why Triglycerides Matter
Review date: 06-25-2008
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Looking for more information? Follow these links to learn more about lowering your cholesterol with exercise, a healthier diet and medication if necessary.