5 Factors That Contribute to Heart Disease and Stroke

Heart health is important at any age! Here are five factors you need to be aware of that can affect your heart's health, along with steps you can take to help prevent a heart disease or stroke.

1. Stress

More research is needed to determine how stress contributes to heart disease, says the American Heart Association (AHA). However, stress can affect behaviors that increase heart disease risk, such as high blood pressure and cholesterol levels, smoking, physical inactivity and overeating.

Managing stress is a good idea for many reasons including its potential effects on heart health. Exercise, having a positive attitude, quitting smoking, refraining from too much caffeine intake, eating a healthy diet and maintaining a healthy weight are all good ways to deal with stress.

2. Lack of Exercise

Did you know that not exercising enough can indirectly increase the risk of heart disease? It also increases the risk for diabetes and high blood pressure, which are risk factors.

Regular physical activity can reduce your risk by helping to strengthen your cardiovascular system, control cholesterol and blood pressure, regulate blood sugar, and contribute to weight loss.

Talk to your doctor about an exercise program that is appropriate for you before you begin.

3. Unhealthy Diet

The foods you eat and drink is a major factor in contributing to or reducing your risk of heart disease. A healthy diet can help to reduce your risk of heart disease, heart attacks and stroke, as well as conditions that can lead to heart disease such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and obesity.

The National Institutes of Health and AHA both have lists of healthy food recommendations you should consider.

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3. Smoking

We all know smoking is bad for our overall health due to its effect on our breathing and potential to increase the risk of getting cancer. Did you know that it could increase your risk for heart disease? Approximately one out of five deaths from heart disease directly relates to smoking.

People who smoke are two to four times more likely to get heart disease, and the risk is even greater for women who smoke and also take birth control pills.

The reason smoking affects your heart health has to do with nicotine. It reduces how the amount of oxygen your heart gets, raises your blood pressure and speeds up your heart rate.

It also increases the likelihood of getting blood clots, and harms the interior walls of your blood vessels, including those in your heart.

The remedy? Don't smoke or use tobacco products. If you do smoke, seek help to quit.

5. Family History

If your family has a history of heart disease your risk of developing similar ailments – coronary heart disease, heart attack or stroke - increases.

Although family history is a risk factor none of us can change, it is a signal that you should do everything possible (manage stress, exercise, eat right, and stop smoking) to reduce your chances of experiencing a heart attack or stroke.


Slidell Memorial is the most experienced in cardiac services on the Northshore, consistently being first to offer new, innovative services in cardiac care. We invite you to learn more about our cardiac services, and to contact us to set up a consultation with one of our caring clinicians today.