Diabetes: Diabetes increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, blindness, hypertension, kidney disease, and amputations. Type II diabetes, Heart Disease - Risk Factors for Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) | Heart Disease Prevention | Imaginis - The Women's Health & Wellness Resource Network

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Heart Disease - Risk Factors for Coronary Artery Disease (CAD)


Diabetes: Diabetes increases the risk of heart disease, stroke, blindness, hypertension, kidney disease, and amputations. Type II diabetes, formerly called adult onset diabetes, can often be prevented by increasing physical activity and reducing weight. For patients who already have diabetes, the focus should be placed on reducing controllable CAD risk factors such as cholesterol levels, blood pressures levels, not smoking, etc. Diabetics with high cholesterol should be treated aggressively to decrease the risk of heart disease.

Obesity: Obesity increases CAD and stroke risk. Obesity increases strain on the heart, raises blood pressure and cholesterol, and increases diabetes risk. Weight reduction can be achieved with modifications to diet and increased physical activity.

Body mass index (BMI) measures a person’s total body fat based on weight and height. BMI is derived by multiplying a person's weight in pounds by 703 and then dividing it twice by the person’s height in inches. According to federal guidelines:

  • BMI of 24 or under = not overweight
  • BMI of 25 to 29.9 = overweight
  • BMI of 30 or greater = obese

The following chart provides calculations for BMI based on weight and height:

Height (feet and inches)
Weight
(pounds)		 5'0" 5'2" 5'4" 5'6" 5'8" 5'10" 6'0" 6'2" 6'4" 6'6" 6'8"
100 20 18 17 16 15 14 14 13 12 12 11
105 21 19 18 17 16 15 14 14 13 12 12
110 22 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 13 13 12
115 23 21 20 18 18 17 16 15 14 13 13
120 23 22 21 19 18 17 16 15 14 14 13
125 24 23 22 20 19 18 17 16 15 14 14
130 25 24 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14
135 26 25 23 22 21 19 18 17 16 16 15
140 27 26 24 23 21 20 19 18 17 16 15
145 28 27 25 23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16
150 29 27 26 24 23 22 20 19 18 17 17
155 30 28 27 25 24 22 21 20 19 18 17
160 31 29 28 26 24 23 22 21 20 19 18
165 32 30 28 27 25 24 22 21 20 19 18
170 33 31 29 27 26 24 23 22 21 20 19
175 34 32 30 28 27 25 24 23 21 20 19
180 35 33 31 29 27 26 24 23 22 21 20
185 36 34 32 30 28 27 25 24 23 21 20
190 37 35 33 31 29 27 26 24 23 22 21
195 38 36 34 32 30 28 27 25 24 23 21
200 39 37 34 32 30 29 27 26 24 23 22
205 40 38 35 33 31 29 28 26 25 24 23
210 41 38 36 34 32 30 29 27 26 24 23
215 42 39 37 35 33 31 29 28 26 25 24
220 43 40 38 36 34 32 30 28 27 25 24
225 44 41 39 36 34 32 30 29 27 26 25
230 45 42 40 37 35 33 31 30 28 27 25
235 46 43 40 38 36 34 32 30 29 27 26
240 47 44 41 39 37 35 33 31 29 28 26
245 48 45 42 40 37 35 33 32 30 28 27
250 49 46 43 40 38 36 34 32 30 29 28
255 50 47 44 41 39 37 35 33 31 30 28
260 51 48 45 42 40 37 35 33 32 30 29
265 52 49 46 43 40 38 36 34 32 31 29
270 53 49 46 44 41 39 37 35 33 31 30
275 54 50 47 44 42 40 37 35 34 32 30
280 55 51 48 45 43 40 38 36 34 32 31
285 56 52 49 46 43 41 39 37 35 33 31
290 57 53 50 47 44 42 39 37 35 34 32
295 58 54 51 48 45 42 40 38 36 34 32
300 59 55 52 49 46 43 41 39 37 35 33

Lack of physical activity: Regular exercise reduces CAD risk by controlling blood cholesterol levels, decreasing the risk of obesity or diabetes, and lowering blood pressure levels in some patients.

Stress: Research indicates a possible relationship between stress and CAD. Hypertension and high cholesterol are associated with stress, as are an increased tendency to smoke, gain weight, and/or decrease physical activity.

Uncontrollable risk factors for CAD:

Gender: Males are at higher risk of CAD than females, and males are also more likely to suffer myocardial infarction (heart attack) earlier in life. However, heart disease kills more females each year than any other disease, including breast cancer. An alarming survey reported by the American Heart Association found that only 8% of women perceive heart disease as the greatest threat to their health despite the fact that heart disease is the leading cause of death among both women and men. Over 500,000 American women die from cardiovascular disease each year--twice the number of deaths from all cancers combined. Also, women are more likely to die within the first year of a heart attack than men.

Advancing Age: Four out of five patients who suffer myocardial infarction (heart attack) are 65 years of age or older. For example, post-menopausal women are much more likely to have a heart attack than pre-menopausal women.

Family History: A family history of heart disease increases the risk for CAD and other heart problems.

Race: In the United States, African Americans tend to have more severe high blood pressure (hypertension) than Caucasians, increasing CAD risk. The incidence of heart disease is also higher among certain population groups such as Mexican Americans, American Indians, native Hawaiians and some Asian Americans. This may be due to the fact that obesity and/or diabetes may be higher among some of these population groups.

Genetics: Patients may have congenital heart defects or other diseases that increase CAD risk.

Updated: March 16, 2008