Heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. Take steps today to lower your risk of heart disease.
To help prevent heart disease, you can:
Eat a heart-healthy diet
Get active
Stay at a healthy weight
Quit smoking and stay away from secondhand smoke
Control your cholesterol, blood glucose (sugar), and blood pressure
Drink alcohol only in moderation
Manage stress
Get enough sleep
Am I at risk for heart disease?
Anyone can get heart disease, but you’re at higher risk if you:
Have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or diabetes
Smoke
Have overweight or obesity
Don't get enough physical activity
Don't eat a healthy diet
Had a condition called preeclampsia during pregnancy
Your age and family history also affect your risk for heart disease. Your risk is higher if:
You’re a woman over age 55
You’re a man over age 45
Your father or brother had heart disease before age 55
Your mother or sister had heart disease before age 65
But the good news is there's a lot you can do to prevent heart disease.
What Is Heart Disease?
When people talk about heart disease, they’re usually talking about coronary heart disease (CHD). It’s also sometimes called coronary artery disease (CAD). This is the most common type of heart disease.
When someone has CHD, the coronary arteries (tubes) that take blood to the heart are narrow or blocked, which makes it hard for oxygen-rich blood to get to the heart. This happens when cholesterol and fatty material, called plaque, build up inside the arteries.
Several things can lead to plaque building up inside your arteries, including:
Too much cholesterol in the blood
High blood pressure
Smoking
Too much sugar in the blood because of diabetes
When plaque blocks an artery, it’s hard for blood to flow to the heart. A blocked artery can cause chest pain or a heart attack. Learn more about CHD.
Symptoms of a heart attack often come on suddenly. But sometimes, they develop slowly — hours, days, or even weeks before a heart attack happens.
Talk to your doctor if you feel unusually tired for several days or if you develop any new health problems, like pain or trouble breathing. It's also important to talk to your doctor if existing health issues, like pain, are bothering you more than usual.
If you’ve had a heart attack in the past, it’s important to know that symptoms of a new heart attack might be different from your last one — so talk with your doctor if you have any concerns about how you feel.
Know When to Call 911
Call 911 right away if you or someone else has signs of a heart attack.
Don’t ignore any signs or feel embarrassed to call for help. Acting fast can save a life — so call 911 even if you’re not sure it’s a heart attack.
An ambulance is the best and safest way to get to the hospital. In an ambulance, EMTs (emergency medical technicians) can keep track of how you’re doing and start life-saving treatments right away.
When you call 911, the operator can tell you what to do until the ambulance gets there.
Know Your Numbers
Take steps today to lower your risk for heart disease.
Control your cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood glucose (sugar).
High cholesterol and high blood pressure can make you more likely to have heart disease or a heart attack. If your cholesterol or blood pressure numbers are high, you can take steps to lower them. And if you have diabetes, it’s also very important to regularly check your blood glucose levels and make sure it’s not too high. That’s because over time, high levels of blood glucose can damage your heart, kidneys, eyes, and nerves.
Get your cholesterol checked.
It’s important to get your cholesterol checked at least every 4 to 6 years. Some people will need to get it checked more or less often. Learn more about cholesterol testing.
Get your blood pressure checked.
Starting at age 18 years, get your blood pressure checked regularly. High blood pressure has no symptoms, so you need to get your blood pressure checked to find out if it’s healthy. Learn more about blood pressure testing.
Get your blood glucose checked.
Over time, high levels of blood glucose can damage your heart, kidneys, eyes, and nerves. That’s why it’s important to get your blood glucose checked regularly, especially if you’re age 45 years and older. Keeping track of your blood glucose — and taking steps to lower it if it’s too high — can also help you prevent type 2 diabetes. Learn more about preventing type 2 diabetes.
Your family history affects your risk for heart disease. Use this family health history tool to keep track of your family’s health. Share the information with your doctor or nurse.
If you’re between the ages of 40 and 59 years, taking aspirin every day may lower your risk of heart attack and stroke — but doctors don’t recommend it for everyone. Talk with your doctor to find out if taking aspirin is the right choice for you.
Talk to your doctor about taking medicine to lower your risk of heart attack and stroke.
Eating healthy can help lower your risk of heart disease. A heart-healthy diet includes foods that are low in saturated fat, added sugars, and sodium (salt). Learn more about eating healthy.
Heart-healthy items include:
High-fiber foods, like whole grains, fruits, and vegetables
Foods with healthy unsaturated fats, like avocados, nuts, and fish (like salmon and sardines)
Try to limit foods that:
Are high in saturated fat, including fatty meats (like beef), full-fat dairy products (like whole milk or cheese), and tropical oils (like coconut and palm oil)
Have added sugars, like sweetened beverages, candy, and desserts
Have a lot of sodium (salt), like deli meats and bacon, frozen dinners, and some canned foods
Drinking too much alcohol can increase your risk of heart disease. So if you choose to drink alcohol, drink only in moderation. That means 1 drink or less in a day for women and 2 drinks or less in a day for men.
People who have overweight or obesity are at an increased risk for heart disease, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes.
If you have overweight or obesity, losing 5 to 10 percent of your body weight can help lower your risk of heart disease. For example, if you weigh 200 pounds, that would mean losing 10 to 20 pounds. Find out how to control your weight.
Getting regular physical activity can help prevent heart disease. Adults need at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity each week. This includes anything that gets your heart beating faster — like walking, dancing, and biking.
If you’re just getting started, take it slow! Try fitting a quick walk into your day. Even 5 minutes has real health benefits — and you can build up to more activity over time. Learn more about getting active.
Quit smoking and stay away from secondhand smoke.
Quitting smoking helps lower your risk of heart disease and heart attack. Call 1-800-QUIT-NOW (1-800-784-8669) for free support and to set up your plan for quitting. Get more information about quitting smoking.
Avoiding secondhand smoke is important, too — so keep your home smoke-free. If you have guests who smoke, ask them to smoke outside. If someone in your home smokes, use these tips to start a conversation about quitting.
Manage stress.
Managing stress can help prevent serious health problems like heart disease, depression, and high blood pressure. Deep breathing and meditation are good ways to relax and manage stress. Get more ideas for how to manage stress.
Get enough sleep.
Good sleep lowers your risk for many chronic diseases, including heart disease. Most adults need 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. Learn more about getting enough sleep.
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