
Here’s what we’ll cover in this blog post:
- An overview of heart disease
- The importance of prevention
- Ways to monitor and reduce the risk of heart disease
An estimated 30 million Americans have heart disease, and it remains the leading cause of death in the US. What’s worse, people as young as 15 years old can show signs of conditions like atherosclerosis, a cause of heart disease.
The good news? Heart disease is also one of the most preventable disease of the four horsemen of death. That’s because doctors and researchers have have made huge developments on preventing and treating heart disease in recent years, including effective ways to reduce the risk at home.
So, whether you’re currently at high risk of developing heart disease or just want to find ways to keep your risk low, we’ve got you covered. We’ll break down what heart disease is and preventative steps you can take.
What is heart disease?
Heart disease is a general term that refers to several conditions that affect the heart and blood flow. Coronary artery disease (CAD), the most common form of heart disease, causes inflammation in major blood vessels and can lead to heart attacks. Other forms of heart disease include:
- Congenital heart disease
The term “congenital” refers to any trait that we’re born with. Congenital heart disease, then, is any heart defect present at birth. - Endocarditis
Though rare, endocarditis is an infection of the heart’s lining, often caused by bacteria entering the bloodstream and damaging heart valves. - Heart valve problems
Also known as valvular heart disease, this form of heart disease causes the heart valves—which control blood flow to the heart—to malfunction, restricting blood flow. This disease forms both as a congenital disease or as an age-related disease.
Most who are at risk for heart disease are at risk for CAD. In fact, when most refer to heart disease generally, they likely mean CAD.
What causes coronary artery disease?
The most common cause of CAD is LDL cholesterol, full stop.
You might have heard some refer to LDL cholesterol as “bad” cholesterol, but LDL itself isn’t inherently bad. Our livers make LDL cholesterol to help maintain healthy cell function. However, too much LDL cholesterol causes cholesterol to build up in our arteries, causing a blockage that narrows arteries and limits blood flow. This condition is known as atherosclerosis.
That’s why doctors viewed heart disease in terms of just clogged arteries and, to this day, use procedures like angioplasty (which smash built up cholesterol against the blood vessel wall) to “unclog” arteries and restore blood flow.
However, research has suggested that removing these blockages using angioplasty does little to reduce the risk of heart attack. What researchers have found is that angioplasty can remove cholesterol buildup and improve blood flow, but this procedure can’t significantly reduce the overall risk of heart disease. So, what gives?
It turns out, inflammation also plays a big role in heart disease, rather than simply clogged arteries. Inflammation is a normal immune system response, just like LDL cholesterol is a normal lipoprotein. Similarly, too much inflammation can cause problems, leading the body to attack cholesterol deposits in arteries, cutting off circulation and causing them to rupture. This ultimately leads to heart attack.
That’s why smashing cholesterol against a blood vessel wall doesn’t remove the risk, because the cholesterol is still there.
Our modern lifestyles—including what we eat and how much stress we experience—can increase the presence of LDL cholesterol and how strongly our immune system reacts, making inflammation and heart disease worse. But that also means that we’re in control of our own risk and our own health—because we can adjust our lifestyles to limit and control risky habits.
Who is most at risk for heart disease?
The most common risk factors for heart disease include:
- High blood pressure
Having chronically high blood pressure, or hypertension, can damage arteries responsible for pumping blood to the heart. This puts a major strain on both our arteries and our heart, causing weaker blood flow to the heart which eventually leads to heart disease. - High cholesterol
Cholesterol is a type of waxy fat that is essential for good health. But with too much cholesterol in our body, it can build up in arteries and block blood flow, which can cause heart disease, heart attack, and stroke. - (Pre)Diabetes
Diabetic conditions like high blood sugar levels can also damage blood vessels and the nerves that control the heart. Even slightly elevated blood sugar levels—or prediabetes—can increase the risk of heart disease. - Weight
Our weight affects nearly all of the risk factors discussed above. Excess visceral fat, or fat stored around our organs, damages our heart muscles blood vessels overtime and leaving us susceptible to high blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol. - Diet
The foods we eat can also contribute to many of these heart risks, including blood pressure, cholesterol, obesity, and diabetes. Try to stick with a heart healthy diet filled with low-fat proteins and fresh fruits and vegetables, and avoid greasy, processed, or high-fat with high sodium content. - Lifestyle habits
From smoking and drinking excessive alcohol to high stress, low exercise, and poor sleep, our lifestyle habits are among the largest modifiable risk factors for heart disease—and they’re all within our control.
Having high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking are key factors that put people at greater risk of heart disease. People with a history of heart disease in their family may also be more at risk. Age factors in, too: new cases of heart disease tend to rise sharply with age. That’s because we are more prone to inflammation the older we get.
Having one of these risk factors is manageable, but having several makes us most at risk for heart disease.
Why is prevention important?
Remember how angioplasties aren’t the most effective method for reducing heart disease risk? That’s because treating heart disease after it’s developed is much less effective than preventing heart disease before it even starts.
About a third of men and half of women die within 5 years after a heart attack. Heart disease effectively ends our healthy lifespan, so doing everything you can to prevent that from happening is crucial.
However, heart disease doesn’t often cause symptoms, so it’s not always easy to spot. Some may experience angina (or severe chest pain), while a heart attack may be the first sign of heart disease for others. In fact, some estimates show that almost half of people who die of heart attacks had no previous signs, history, or symptoms of heart disease.
Monitoring our risk factors is much more beneficial for our long-term help than waiting for symptoms of heart disease.
What can you do to prevent or reduce your risk of heart disease?
Fortunately, heart disease is completely preventable, meaning there’s a lot you can do to manage your risk! Here are three key things you can do every day:
- Eat more polyunsaturated fats
Polyunsaturated fats are often referred to as the “healthy” fats, and have been shown to help with cholesterol levels in the blood. Research has shown that following the Mediterranean diet can improve cardiovascular and heart health with high amounts of polyunsaturated fats. - Reduce stress
Reducing stress can help tone down our immune systems and help manage inflammation. - Increase physical activity
Exercise can help with many of the risk factors for heart disease, including reducing stress and inflammation. Aim for about 150 minutes of activity a week, when possible.
You may also consider supplements and medications shown to reduce cholesterol levels and inflammation (such as Metformin, red yeast rice, garlic, and more). Your doctor may even recommend statins like Atorvastatin, or other heart medications like Telmisartan, if your risk is too high.
How can you monitor your risk?
Consider getting regular blood tests and talking with your doctor to check the following:
- Lipid panels
These measure LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol (the good kind), and triglycerides (fats in the blood). - High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (CRP)
This helps gauge the severity of inflammation in your body. - Homocysteine
Some research has shown that certain levels of stress can increase levels of homocysteine, so this can help you keep track of stress.
If you feel ready to tackle heart disease, get started with a free online assessment to understand your risk of heart disease. If you don’t know where to start, try scheduling a longevity consultation with an expert medical prescriber to receive a doctor-guided assessment of your overall health and longevity. Your prescriber may recommend simple lifestyle adjustments, or get you started with doctor-recommended prescriptions and supplements to help prioritize your preventative care.
Though heart disease is manageable, you don’t have to start your heart health journey alone. With longevity experts and dedicated support on your side, you can take control of your health and find the treatments right for you, so you can enjoy more healthy years.
FAQs
Is cardiovascular disease considered heart disease?
Yes, cardiovascular disease as an umbrella term for a group of diseases that affect both the heart and blood vessels. All types of heart disease are cardiovascular disease, but not all cardiovascular diseases are heart diseases. For example, deep vein thrombosis is a cardiovascular disease but not a heart disease, while coronary artery disease is both a cardiovascular and heart disease.
Though they are related but distinct terms, heart disease shares many of the same risk factors as cardiovascular disease, including high blood pressure and excessive smoking or drinking.
How does stress contribute to heart disease?
Chronic stress leads to high blood pressure, increased inflammation, and unhealthy coping habits like smoking, drinking alcohol, or overeating—all of which are risk factors or contribute to risk factors for heart disease.
If I already have heart disease, is the damage reversible?
Some aspects of heart disease can be reversed if the disease has already developed, but some damage is irreversible, and many experts agree that heart disease isn’t fully reversible. For example, plaque buildup that can lead to heart attack can be reduced, but damage to heart muscles and blood vessels is often permanent. That’s why prevention is the best treatment for heart disease.
Note: The above statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.