Non-Modifiable

• Age—Risk increases as you get older.
• Gender—Men have a greater risk of heart attack.
• Menopause—For women, risk increases after menopause.
• Family history—Risk increases if family members have heart disease.
• Race—African Americans, Mexican Americans, American Indians, Hawaiians, and Asian Americans are at a higher risk.

Modifiable

• Being overweight or obese
• Poor nutrition
• Low physical activity
• Smoking
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Low HDL, or “good,” cholesterol
• High LDL, or “bad,” cholesterol

Exercise

Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate exercise a day. Some good choices include walking, cycling, jogging, and swimming.

Eat a Heart-healthy Diet

Try to include plenty of fruits and vegetables, nuts, and whole grains in your diet. A healthy diet should include foods that are low in saturated fat, cholesterol, trans fat, sugar, and salt. Also, limiting your total calories to a reasonable amount is important.

Maintain a Healthy Weight

Everyone’s body is different. A healthy weight for one person may not be healthy for another person. One thing is certain: too much weight can increase your risk of heart disease. Eating healthy and exercising can remove obesity as a risk factor.

Do Not Smoke

Do not smoke. If you do smoke, quit. Smoking is one of the biggest risk factors for heart death. Non-smokers should also avoid second-hand smoke.

Limit Your Alcohol

Limit your alcohol to a moderate level. This means two or fewer drinks per day for men and one or fewer drinks for women and older adults. One drink equals a 12-ounce bottle of beer, a five-ounce glass of wine, or 1.5 ounces of liquor.

Keep Cholesterol Low

If you have high cholesterol, do not just try to lower the number. Instead, focus on lowering your risk for heart disease. Exercising and eating healthy not only lower your cholesterol numbers, they also make you healthier overall.

Medicines may be needed for some people. Statins are one type of drug that not only lower cholesterol, but also lower heart disease risk in some people. Statins should be used along with healthy lifestyle habits. If you are prescribed a statin and your cholesterol numbers improve, this does not mean that you should be sedentary and eat whatever you want. You will still need to focus on other modifiable risk factors.

Keep Blood Pressure Under Control

If you have high blood pressure, work to get it under control. Eating a healthy diet, exercising, and not drinking alcohol are just some ways to help control your blood pressure. Some people will also need to take medicines.

Manage Diabetes

If you have diabetes, it is important to keep it under control. Eating well, exercising, and taking medicines can help with this. If you do not have diabetes, keeping your weight at a reasonable amount will help lower your chance of developing diabetes.