What are the major known risk factors for coronary heart disease?
1 Answer
Coronary heart disease risk factors are conditions or habits that raise the risk of coronary heart disease and heart attacks.
Explanation:
Controllable risk factors include high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, lack of exercise, obesity, high blood cholesterol, depression, poor diet and excessive intake of alcohol.
Uncontrollable risk factors are age, gender and a family history of coronary heart disease.
Many people have atleast one coronary heart disease risk factor. The risk of coronary heart disease increases with the number of risk factors one has and their severity. Also certain risk factors put one at a greater risk of coronary heart disease than others ( e.g. smoking and diabetes ).
Several risk factors for coronary heart disease start during childhood. This is even more common now because many children are over weight and don't get enough physical activity.
The underlying mechanism involves atherosclerosis of the arteries of the heart.
Coronary heart diseases is a disease of the heart in which a waxy substance called plaque builds up inside the coronary arteries. Over time plaque can harden and rapture. Hardened plaque narrows the coronary arteries and reduces the flow of oxygen rich blood to the heart.
