Heart Disease Causes

A person's risk of developing heart disease is due to a combination of lifestyle factors, heredity, and age. Having two or more risk factors further increases a person's heart disease risk.

General risk factors

• Metabolic syndrome
  Metabolic syndrome is a group of conditions that increase a person's risk of developing heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.
  • Central obesity (a large waistline)
  • Unhealthy cholesterol levels: high LDL ("bad") cholesterol, low HDL ("good") cholesterol, and high triglycerides
  • High blood pressure
  • Elevated fasting blood sugar (glucose)
• Diabetes
• Physical inactivity
• Smoking
• Family history of heart disease
  • Father or a brother diagnosed with heart disease before 55 years of age.
  • Mother or a sister diagnosed with heart disease before 65 years of age.
• Age and gender
  • Male of age 45 and older
  • Female of age 55 and older (or after menopause)

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the percentage of Americans with the following heart disease risk factors are:

Risk factors for the common types of heart disease

Most types of heart disease are caused by atherosclerosis. The following risk factors are specific to the individual types of heart disease:

Coronary artery disease risk factors

• Atherosclerosis

Angina risk factors

• Coronary artery disease
• Physical activity or emotional stress
• Heavy meals
• Cold temperatures
• Other types of heart disease

Heart attack risk factors

• Coronary artery disease
  

Heart failure risk factors

• Coronary artery disease
• Congenital heart disease (present at birth)
• Lung disease
• Alcohol or cocaine abuse
• Other types of heart disease

Heart arrhythmias risk factors

• High blood pressure
• Physical activity and emotional stress
• Overuse of alcohol, caffeine, amphetamines, and cocaine
• Prescription medications (beta-blockers, psychotropics, sympathomimetics, medications for a different type of arrhythmia)
• Certain over-the-counter medications, dietary supplements, and herbs
• Other types of heart disease