Heart disease often sounds like such a broad condition that you may be left wondering: what are my risks? While we always recommend that you consult a cardiologist regarding your heart health, there are some conditions that are often precursors to heart disease. If you or members of your family suffer from the following conditions, your risks may be elevated.

Heart disease is the number one killer of men and women globally each year. More than 17 million people die from this disease, also known as cardiovascular disease, which is more than die from all types of cancer combined. And while heart disease is a global killer there isn’t a simple cure.

Hopefully, by now you have a good handle on your heart health. You’re making changes to your lifestyle, eating healthy, reducing stress, and taking medications all to reduce the pressure that everyday life can put on your heart muscles. But even with all of that intervention, your cardiologist may still be asking you to get an angioplasty (also known as percutaneous coronary intervention).

You’re probably familiar with the broadly used terms heart disease and cardiovascular disease. These terms are synonymous with one another and are used interchangeably to describe an umbrella of different heart-related conditions. Below are four of the main conditions that fall under the category of a diseased heart. 

Heart disease is a big umbrella phrase used to describe the many conditions that occur when your body begins to build up plaque on the inside of your artery walls. This process is called Atherosclerosis and when it builds up over time your arteries become more and more constricted and blood is no longer able to pass through. This can lead to heart attack, stroke, and the general weakening of the muscles that make up your heart. Fortunately, Atherosclerosis and the related heart conditions are in many cases preventable.

Heart disease is one of the top killers among American men and women, and it often comes on without symptoms. If you suspect that you may be at risk for cardiac issues we urge you to make contact with your primary physician so that you can be referred to a cardiologist. Prevention is the best weapon in the fight against heart related conditions.

You’ve heard it all before, all you have to do to get healthy is eat right and exercise. Sounds simple right? Well if it really is that easy then how is it that so many Americans are suffering from heart related conditions due to obesity and poor lifestyle choices?

If you’re ready to start making significant changes in your lifestyle in order to improve your health, here are a few places to start.

Heart disease is the leading killer of women in the United States. One in three female deaths is caused by heart disease, which in many cases could have been prevented. There are a lot of factors that lead to heart disease, from diet and exercise to genetic predisposition, but another factor is stress. Some researchers believe that women are more susceptible to stress than men, which may contribute to their higher rate of disease.