Heart Disease Prevention: An Overview
Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. More than 910,000 Americans die of
cardiovascular diseases each year, which amounts to one death every 35 seconds. In addition, more than 13 million people are currently living with
heart disease. Coronary heart disease is a leading cause of premature, permanent disability in the U.S. workforce. Fortunately, in most cases, heart disease can be prevented, and it is not as hard as most people think.
The steps for effective heart disease prevention involve:
The main cause of heart disease (also called
coronary artery disease, or just CAD) is the thickening and hardening of the inside walls of arteries. This is called
atherosclerosis. Some
hardening of the arteries occurs normally as you grow older, but certain risk factors can increase the rate at which atherosclerosis develops.
Preventing heart disease begins with knowing which risk factors you have and then taking action to reduce that risk. Remember, your chances of developing coronary heart disease increase with the number of risk factors you have.
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