Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a disorder of the heart caused by blockages in the heart's blood vessels due to accumulation of fat or plaque. In fact, there are many things (known as risk factors) that can increase a person's chances of developing coronary heart disease.
Coronary heart disease risk factors
Risk factors for coronary heart disease are divided into uncontrollable risk factors and controllable risk factors.
Uncontrollable risk factors are:
- Age, as you get older, the risk of CHD will increase.
- Gender, men are more at risk of experiencing CHD than women, unless women have gone through menopause.
- Family history of having had heart disease or stroke.
Other risk factors that can be controlled with lifestyle changes are:
- Smoke
- High cholesterol
- High blood pressure (hypertension)
- Uncontrolled diabetes
- Obesity/overweight
- Lack of exercise
- stress
Tips for reducing risk factors for coronary heart disease
There are several things that can be applied to reduce risk factors for coronary heart disease.
- Stop smoking, smoking increases the risk of heart attack 2 times greater than non-smokers. Passive smokers who are regularly exposed to cigarette smoke are also at risk of developing heart disease.
- Controlling blood pressure, normal blood pressure value is 120/80 mmHg. Maintain blood pressure by maintaining a diet and diligent exercise.
- Pay attention to your cholesterol value, a normal total cholesterol value is below 200 mg/dL, good cholesterol or HDL must be above 40 mg/dL for men and above 50 mg/dL for women, while the bad cholesterol or LDL value must be below below 130 mg/dL. A low-fat diet and regular exercise can also help lower bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol.
- Check your blood sugar levels regularly, a normal fasting blood sugar value is below 100 mg/dL and intermittent blood sugar is below 140 mg/dL. Control diabetes with a healthy diet, exercise, maintain your weight, and take medication prescribed by your doctor (if needed).
- Active sports, sports should be routinely done at least 5 times a week for 30 minutes each with moderate intensity. Choose the type of exercise according to your abilities and age.
In addition to adopting a healthy lifestyle, carrying out routine health checks, especially on blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol, will help the risk factors for coronary heart disease to be monitored properly.
Article written by dr. Emile TH Parapat, Sp.JP (Cardiologist and Blood Vessel Specialist at EMC Alam Sutera Hospital).