The ultimate goal of the cardiac program at Southern Illinois Healthcare and SIH facilities is to prevent illness, and take a proactive approach to addressing more serious ailments. SIH provides numerous educational events, many attended by the cardiologists and cardiac surgeon. Still, there may be the need for you and your cardiologist to address concerns regarding your heart health.

There are certain risk factors that may put you and your family at a greater risk for developing heart disease. Some of these risk factors cannot be changed, while many can be controlled.

What are risk factors you cannot change?

• Age: There is a greater risk of heart disease as we become older
• Gender: Males are prone to heart disease at a younger age than women. Men between the ages of 50 and 60 years of age have the highest incidence of heart disease. After the loss of estrogen, women have an increased risk of heart disease, making their risk nearly equal to men. Heart disease is the number one killer of men and women in the United States.
• Heredity: A family history of heart disease increases your risk of heart disease.

What are the risk factors you CAN change?

• Smoking: Smoking increases your risk for heart disease and other diseases. Smoking makes your heart work harder and faster, and also damages the smooth inside walls of your arteries. Stopping smoking now will not only lower your risk of heart disease and other ailments, but may even help turn around the damage already done to your heart.
• Cholesterol: A high blood cholesterol level leads to fatty deposits on the inside of artery walls. This fatty build-up slows down and reduces blood flow to your heart muscle. This may lead to a heart attack. Have regular cholesterol checks, and know what your cholesterol numbers are.
• High Blood Pressure: Blood pressure creates a pressure against the walls of your arteries. High blood pressure (or hypertension) damages your arteries. High blood pressure also increases the work-load of the heart. Although high blood pressure is not curable, it can be controlled!
• Lack of Exercise: Your heart, like the rest of your body, needs exercise. Lack of exercise lowers your good cholesterol (HDL), raises your blood pressure, and causes you to gain extra body weight. Regular exercise strengthens your heart so it can work to its best. Exercise regularly. Even low to moderate exercise on a regular basis can lower your risk for heart disease.
• Overweight: Excess body weight in both men and women is linked with the development of heart disease. Carrying more than 20% extra weight is associated with heart disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes.
• Stress: Stress causes an increase in heart rate and blood pressure. Stress not only makes your heart work harder, but it narrows your blood vessels, limiting blood circulation.
• Diabetes: People with diabetes are at greater risk for heart disease. Diabetes affects your heart. Although there is no cure for diabetes, it can be controlled. A well-maintained diet, regular exercise and taking your medicine helps to keep your blood sugar under control.