• Increasing age. The risk of coronary heart disease increases with age. Men ages 45 and older have increased risk, as do women ages 55 and older. It is thought that female hormones help protect women from heart disease before menopause. After menopause, women have heart disease as often as men do.
   
• Family history of heart disease. If your father or brother had a heart attack before age 55, or if your mother or sister had one before age 65, you are more likely to get heart disease yourself.
   

• Physical inactivity. People with inactive lifestyles are at an increased risk for heart disease. Just 30 to 60 minutes of physical activity on most days helps reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.
   
• Smoking. People who smoke cigarettes have the greatest risk of heart disease. People who smoke cigars or pipes seem to have greater-than-normal risk, but their risk is not as great as cigarette smokers'. Exposure to other people's smoke increases the risk of heart disease -- even for nonsmokers. Quitting smoking helps reduce the risk.
   
• Being overweight or obese. People who have too much body fat, especially around the waist, have increased risk for heart disease. Women with waist measurements of more than 35 inches have increased risk, as do men with waist measurements of more than 40 inches. People with body mass index (BMI) values of 25 or greater have an increased risk, too. Losing weight helps reduce the risk.

(For more information, see Obesity and Heart Disease. Click BMI Calculator or BMI Chart to calculate your BMI.)

• High blood pressure. People who have a blood pressure reading of 140/90 mmHg or higher have an increased risk of coronary heart disease. Lowering blood pressure reduces the risk.

(Click Effects of High Blood Pressure for more information.)

• High blood cholesterol. People with total blood cholesterol levels of 200 mg/dL or higher have an increased risk of coronary heart disease. People with no other heart disease risk factors who have low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) levels of 160 mg/dL or higher have an increased risk for heart disease. People with heart disease or diabetes who also have LDL levels of 100 mg/dL or higher have an increased risk for heart disease. An increased risk is also associated with HDL (high density lipoprotein) levels of less than 40 mg/dL. In addition, people with triglyceride levels above 150 mg/dL may have an increased risk for heart disease.

(Click Cholesterol and Heart Disease for more information on high cholesterol as a heart disease risk factor.)

• Diabetes mellitus. People who have type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes have an increased risk of coronary heart disease.

(Click Diabetes and Heart Disease for more information on this heart disease risk factor.)