Coronary Artery Disease: Know Your Risk Factors

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the most common type of heart disease in the United States, affecting about 5% of adults and causing more than 375,000 deaths every year. 

We diagnose CAD when the arteries supplying blood to your heart are damaged or blocked, typically by a buildup of sticky cholesterol-based plaques inside the vessels.

As the arteries become narrower, your heart isn’t able to get the oxygen- and nutrient-rich blood it needs to function normally. As a result, your risk of chest pain (angina) dramatically increases, along with your risk of heart attacks.

At Florida Heart, Vein, and Vascular Institute, our team of cardiologists helps our patients understand their risks of coronary artery disease and take steps to lower them. In this post, we explain eight factors that could be increasing your risk of coronary artery disease.

High cholesterol

Cholesterol is a waxy substance made in your liver. It’s also present in certain foods. While your body needs some cholesterol, too much can be bad for your health. 

If you have high cholesterol, excess cholesterol circulates in your bloodstream, eventually forming waxy plaques that cling to artery walls. Over time, that causes a condition called atherosclerosis.

Plaque buildup in your coronary arteries is a common cause of CAD. Ideally, you should limit your cholesterol intake by reading the labels of the foods you eat and by knowing which foods contain unhealthy amounts of cholesterol. 

Medication can also help when lifestyle changes aren’t enough to lower your cholesterol levels.

Hypertension

Hypertension (high blood pressure) increases stress and strain on your heart and your arteries. Over time, that added strain damages the artery lining, causing rough spots that attract plaque deposits. 

Eventually, the combination of strain and plaque buildup increases your risk of developing CAD and other cardiovascular problems. 

Sedentary lifestyle

Exercise improves your health in multiple ways. When it comes to reducing your risk of CAD, exercise improves circulation, and it also helps lower your blood pressure and your cholesterol levels, two other risk factors for CAD. 

Exercising regularly helps reduce your stress level, support healthy sleep habits, and manage your weight.

Poor diet

Salty, sugary, and fatty foods might taste good, and plenty of convenient, prepackaged foods and snacks are chock-full of these ingredients. Unfortunately, foods high in these ingredients can wind up raising your blood pressure and clogging your arteries, including your coronary arteries.

Instead, focus on a diet high in fiber and rich in fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy, and lean protein, including vegetable-based proteins. Limit or — ideally — eliminate foods containing unhealthy fats and high levels of sodium and sugars, along with processed foods.

Smoking

Tobacco contains loads of chemicals that inflame and damage your artery linings. That damage makes it easier for sticky plaques to adhere to the walls of the vessels. 

The chemicals in tobacco products can harm your cardiovascular system in other ways, too, interfering with the way your heart and vessels function. Quitting isn’t easy, but our team can help. You can find resources online, too. Visit SmokeFree.gov to learn more.

Obesity

Being overweight increases your risks of hypertension and high cholesterol. It can also affect your energy and comfort levels, making it harder to exercise on a regular basis. 

Being overweight or obese can also lead to chronic inflammation, including inflammation that damages your blood vessels and makes it easier for plaques to develop.

Diabetes

Diabetes makes managing your blood sugar (glucose) levels difficult. In turn, high blood sugar can lead to inflammation and can damage your arteries and your heart. Diabetes and CAD also share risk factors, including high cholesterol and obesity.

Family history and age

These two risk factors are grouped together because, unlike the other factors on this list, you can’t change or modify them. If you have a family history of heart disease or if you’re older, your risk of CAD increases. 

Since you can’t change these factors, it’s even more important to do all you can to control the risk factors that are modifiable.

If you have risk factors for CAD, being screened for cardiovascular disease is essential for staying healthy and preventing heart attacks and other serious consequences. We assess your CAD risk and help you get the treatment you need to minimize them. 

To learn more, book an appointment online or over the phone with our team at Florida Heart, Vein, and Vascular Institute today. We have offices in Zephyrhills, Lakeland, Plant City, and Riverview, Florida.