Causes Of Coronary Heart Disease

Numerous extensive research and studies have uncovered a number of factors responsible for increasing the risk of coronary heart disease. According to those researchers, these risk factors are highly associated with coronary heart disease, but the degree of their prevalence is not yet accurately determined, therefore these factors are just deemed contributing causes of coronary heart disease.

These contributing causes are to some degree controllable, modifiable and treatable. However, some are due to natural causes such as age, heredity, and sex. Let s talk about these factors one by one.

1. Human beings age, and the more we age, the greater the chances of getting coronary heart disease. Studies have shown that more than 83 percent of those who die of coronary heart disease are 65 or older.

2. Hereditary Factors Coronary heart disease is said to occur as a result of heredity. This means that a person who has a family history of coronary heart disease is more likely to develop the disease. Simply put, the chances of coronary heart disease occurring in a person depend largely on the medical history of that person. According to most people, CHD runs in the blood.

3. Sex - A multitude of researchers have found that men have a greater risk of developing coronary heart disease than women. They even have attacks earlier in life, and although the death rate of post-menopausal women from CHD is high, it s not as great as that of the men.

So you have read about the causes of coronary heart disease that can t be altered or changed. Let us now take a look at the causes of coronary heart diseases that CAN be modified and treated.

1. Smoking - Cigarette smoking has long been considered one of the biggest contributing causes of coronary heart disease. It is said that the risk of smokers dying from sudden cardiac death is about twice the risk of nonsmokers. This is the reason that people are strongly advised to quit smoking.

2. High Cholesterol Level - When the level of cholesterol in the body increases, the chances of developing CHD also increase. High blood pressure and obesity may also result, further increasing the risk of CHD.

3. Inactive Lifestyle - This is but another huge factor leading up to the development of CHD. If you are overweight, have a family history of CHD or suffer from high cholesterol, you are strongly advised to exercise regularly. It does not have to be anything major; just walking around the neighborhood three or four times a week can help increase the flow of blood and oxygen to the body. Walking can even strengthen the heart muscle, allowing your heart to pump more blood with less effort.

So those are basically the major causes of coronary heart disease. It is wise to note and understand them in order to easily identify the best treatment. And, if you want heart disease to keep its distance from you, then do something to change the modifiable causes of coronary heart disease. You can make your heart healthy through proper care, nutrition and staying active!