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Know Your Risks For Heart Problems
There are several risk factors for acquiring heart disease; high LDL cholesterol is only one. Family history plays a significant role. If your father had a heart attack or stroke prior to age 55 or your mother had a heart attack or heart stroke prior to 65, you've got a higher risk. The same increased risk factor applies if your siblings had heart attacks or cerebral vascular accidents in those age brackets. Hypertension, cigarette smoking, diabetic issues, chronic kidney disease, being 30% or more over your ideal body mass (as determined by your BMI), metabolic syndrome, leading a sedentary lifestyle, HDL of less than 40 mg/dL and females with early menopause all raise your heart attack and stroke risk factors. A previous personal history of any kind of cardiac event also puts you at a higher risk of getting a cardiac arrest or heart stroke.
Offsetting factors
There are various positive factors which assist offset risk factors. High levels of HDL or "good" cholestrerol levels are very helpful in preventing heart problems or at least offsetting risk factors. The Framingham study as well as others have recommended that for each single point rise in HDL, there is a corresponding drop in your risk of experiencing a heart attack by 2%-3%. Some people are just plain fortunate and are born with high HDL. Others are not so lucky and find it difficult to raise their HDL and even with excessive physical exercise are helpless to raise it. HDL below 40 is regarded as a risk factor. HDL of more than 60 is considered a positive factor for heart disease. Total cholesterol readings are not the best barometer of cardiovascular disease risk. Although high HDL levels and low LDL levels aren't any guarantee, your risk factors are most assuredly reduced with high HDL and further lowered with low LDL levels. Overall or total high cholesterol levels are less accurate as a predictor but most often a higher total cholesterol reading is due to high LDL.
Physical exercise a precautionary for heart disease
Consistent exercise or physical activity is a very real and effective way to lessen the risk of cardiac arrest and strokes. Cardiovascular exercise is the most effective way to strengthen your heart muscle, increase HDL levels and lower blood pressure level. To get the most heart health advantage from any exercise routine, you have to get your pulse rate elevated. If you have not exercised for an extended time period and otherwise lead an inactive lifestyle, you should speak to your doctor prior to starting any exercise regime. Once you have been given the go ahead you still need to start slow and increase your exertion at a pace you are comfortable with for two reasons. Firstly is your muscles including your heart require time to build up. Trying to do it all at one time will make you sore and may not be the smartest for your heart. The second reason is that if you hurt yourself by using muscles and tendons that are not accustomed to that kind of intense use, you might end up with injuries or be so sore that you don't feel like staying consistent with your training session. Regularity is an essential factor. You will improve your conditioning rapidly if you are regular with your newly found training session.
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