Major risk factors are those that research has shown increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. Other factors are associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease, but their significance hasn’t yet been precisely determined. They're called contributing risk factors.
Some risk factors can be modified, treated or controlled, and some can't. The more risk factors you have, the greater your chance of developing coronary heart disease. Also, the greater the level of each risk factor, the greater the risk.
For example, a person with a total cholesterol of 300 mg/dL has a greater risk than someone with a total cholesterol of 245 mg/dL, even though everyone with a total cholesterol greater than 240 is considered high-risk.
Major risk factors that can't be changed are increasing age, gender and heredity.
Major risk factors you can modify, treat or control by changing your lifestyle or taking medicine include tobacco use, high blood pressure, physical inactivity, obesity and overweight, diabetes mellitus. Contributing risk factors are stress, alcohol, diet and nutrition.
Some heart attacks are sudden and intense - the "movie heart attack," where no one doubts what's happening. But most heart attacks start slowly, with mild pain or discomfort. Often people affected aren't sure what's wrong and wait too long before getting help.
Here are signs that can mean a heart attack is happening:
• Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.
• Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.
• Shortness of breath with or without chest discomfort.
• Breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness
As with men, women's most common heart attack symptom is chest pain or discomfort. But women are somewhat more likely than men to experience some of the other common symptoms, particularly shortness of breath, fatigue, nausea/vomiting, and back or jaw pain.
Even if you're not sure it's a heart attack, have it checked out. Minutes matter! Fast action can save lives — maybe your own.
Written by Mary Defoe, RN-BC, BSN, staff nurse in Cardiac Rehabilitation Services of Memorial Medical Center