Major Risk Factors for Heart Disease

Roetert (2008) studied the benefits of children participating in regular physical activity and their impact on future coronary heart disease. It is observed that if an individual is living a childish life, it is highly possible that the risk of heart disease continues to increase until adulthood (Roetert 2008). This study examined the group of women in nine years. The results of this study showed that active women were not most active, although the most active women reduced the risk of coronary heart disease by 39% (Roetert 2008, p. 74).

Diabetes, smoking, hypertension, high blood cholesterol, lack of physical activity, obesity family history and heart disease are very common among African Americans and are a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke . More importantly, African American women tend to have about twice as many strokes as Caucasians, and it is more likely that they will die earlier than women of other races. Researchers have discovered that there may be genes that make African Americans more salty sensitive and increase the risk of hypertension. For those with this gene, blood pressure of only 1 gram of teaspoon can rise by 5 mm Hg (mm Hg).

Heart disease and stroke are major causes of death and disability in Americans. People who are overweight are more likely to be hypertensive than those who are not overweight, and are the major risk factors for heart disease and stroke. An excessively high cholesterol level in the blood can cause heart disease and is often overweight. Overweight can also cause angina (chest pain caused by reduced oxygen in the heart) and sudden death due to heart disease or stroke in the absence of signs and symptoms.

In the United States, about 600,000 people die each year due to heart disease. The American Heart Association believes obesity is a major risk factor for heart disease. Many studies have shown that the risk of heart disease increases with obesity (5). A person with severe obesity is at high risk of coronary artery disease. This means they are at high risk of heart disease. More than half of obese patients (about 50 to 60%) suffer obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). In the case of severe obesity, this figure is about 90% 7). OSA is a very serious respiratory disease. OSA occurs when extra fat of the neck, throat, and tongue occludes the respiratory tract during sleep. This occlusion causes apnea, which means that a person stops breathing for a while. Patients with OSA can cause hundreds of apnea symptoms overnight. Apnea symptoms reduce the amount of oxygen in the body's blood