Tips To Find Out Your Risk For Heart Disease

 The most important step toward keeping your heart in good shape for the longest possible time is by first becoming aware of your personal risk for heart disease. It’s not hidden from anyone that heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States and across the globe. There are many things that can put you at an increased risk for the same including age, gender, family history that you can’t do much about, then there are the risk factors you can modify including blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, alcohol consumption, smoking and stress.

It is important to become aware of your numbers including blood pressure, (LDL “bad”) cholesterol and blood sugar levels. If these numbers are on the higher range, it means you are at an increased risk for developing heart disease. The good thing is you can keep a check on these risk factors by adopting positive lifestyle measures such as exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet. Following healthy lifestyle measures will drastically cut down on your heart disease risk.

Follow these tips to find out your risk for heart disease:

1.      The first step towards achieving your goal of keeping your ticker healthy is by having an open, honest dialogue with your doctor. Ask him your chances for the disease and ways to lower the risk. Keep a track of your treatment if you are already undergoing treatment for heart disease or heart disease risk factors. Ask your doctor if your treatment is working, if the risk factors are in check, etc. It is important to be completely honest with your doctor whenever he/she questions about your heart health, do not hide anything or brush aside anything thinking it to be something minor. Also, don’t hesitate to ask for an explanation the second time if you haven’t really understood the first time. Get your doubts addressed by your doctor right away.

2.      Some important questions you should ask your doctor include your risk for heart disease, what’s your BP and what can you do about it, what are your cholesterol numbers (total cholesterol, LDL or “bad” cholesterol, HDL or “good” cholesterol, and triglycerides), your Body Mass Index (BMI) and waist measurement, your blood sugar level, the important screening tests for heart disease you may need, tips to quit smoking, exercise regimen to protect against heart disease, diet plan, and symptoms of a heart attack (so that you can identify you are having a heart attack early so damage is less).

3.      Important tests that can help protect the health of your ticker, tests that will enable you to gain solid insight into your heart disease risk:

a.      Lipoprotein Profile

b.      Fasting Plasma Glucose

c.       Body Mass Index (BMI) and Waist Circumference

d.      Other important tests include a stress test, an electrocardiogram (EKG or ECG), or another diagnostic test (these tests are to check if you already have heart disease).

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