Study Identifies 5 Risk Factors Responsible for over 50 Percent of Cardiovascular Disease
2/5/2024
Daniel Krause, DO, Cardiologist with Aspirus Heart Care
Heart disease is
still the leading cause of death in the United States, contributing to one in
three deaths. But by taking steps to address risk factors, you can keep your
heart healthier as you age.
A recent study in
the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) analyzed data from more than one and
a half million people in 34 countries and found that more than 50 percent of
cardiovascular disease incidents and around 20 percent of deaths could be attributed
to five modifiable risk factors.
“This
study shows that over 50 percent cardiovascular events could be prevented if
people addressed certain modifiable risk factors,” says Daniel
Krause, DO, Cardiologist with Aspirus Heart Care. “The good news is that
these are factors you can affect in a positive way if you take responsibility
and work on improving your own health.”
The 5 modifiable
risk factors the study identified are:
- Body mass index
- Systolic blood
pressure
- Non-high-density
lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol
- Current smoking
- Diabetes
“The biggest thing
is trying to control your weight, blood pressure, diabetes if you have it, high
cholesterol if you have it, and really trying to be more active and pay
attention to those risk factors,” says Dr. Krause. “It might seem overwhelming
but work with your primary care provider or a cardiologist to develop a plan to
get all those risk factors down. Often people end up enjoying the process,
especially when they see the numbers and weight start to go down.”
One of the most
important things people can do is to get established with a Primary Care
Provider.
“Many of the people
who we see with a heart attack in their early 50s, 60s, haven't seen a doctor
in 10, 15 years,” says Dr. Krause. “They really didn't know that they had high
cholesterol, diabetes, overweight, and other risk factors and then it's too late.”
Best advice - talk
to your health care provider to determine your risk for heart disease and
follow their recommendations for additional changes you may benefit from.
To find an Aspirus
provider, visit www.aspirus.org/find-a-provider.
For information about cardiology services offered at Aspirus, visit www.aspirus.org/cardiology.
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