Cardiac risk factors: How to assess and lower your risk

The increased sedentary lifestyle along with the development of habits like smoking and drug use are contributing to the risk of disease. Here are certain cardiac risk factors and how to assess them Modifiable risk factors are the ones we can work on by lifestyle modification and play a major role in lowering the incidence of cardiovascular diseases.

Dyslipidaemia or increased cholesterol level has direct association with atherosclerosis and ischemic heart disease which can be assessed by regular lipid profile monitoring. An increase in LDL (bad) cholesterol and a decrease in HDL(good) cholesterol is not good and has to be modified. Reducing fat-rich foods, junk foods, excess sugar, and salt can reduce triglycerides which helps reduce LDL.

Smoking increases the risk of heart disease by 3-5 times by causing reduced hdl and hypoxia.It is estimated in pack years(20 cigarettes per day for a year) and a total of 20 pack years increases risks significantly. Smoking should be avoided completely in all its forms of cigarettes,vapes ,tobacco chewing like pan and gutka.

Hypertension or increased blood pressure is a major risk factor . Constant blood pressure of 140/90 doubles risk of heart disease and increases risk of ischemic heart disease by five times. BP should be monitored regularly for proper management. Reduction of stress and diet with less salt is advised for this.

Diabetes Mellitus is associated also with unfavourable lipid profile which doubles the risk. This is why diabetic patients should undergo regular cardiac monitoring along with controlled blood glucose levels would help a better healthier reduction of cardiovascular risk.

Physical inactivity or a sedentary lifestyle leads to obesity-related risk factors and should be managed by healthy eating of protein food like pulses and lentils, reduced rice and ghee, butter, oil should be cut down. It should also include moderate exercise for thirty minutes every day.
​Eating stale rice increases risk of serious heart disease cardiac beriberi​

Other risk factors like age related development of plaques in atherosclerosis, genetics like familial hyper cholesterolemia where there is dysfunctional LDL and HDL metabolism, and gender of increase incidence in males and post-menopausal women due to the protective effect of estrogen . These cannot be changed so we should assess our own lifestyle as per these risks. Certain other risk factors are increase level of homocysteine due to low vitamin B so we should also eat food like green leafy vegetables. Avoid alcohol and drug usage as they can cause severe complications in heart disease as they can cause increased lipid deposition. We can also lower risk and manage these diseases by a less stressful lifestyle with good nutrition and reduce obesity from adolescence and work towards a healthy heart.

(Author: Dr. Pankaj Jariwala, Consultant Interventional Cardiologist, Yashoda Hospitals, Hyderabad)