Among the many causes of death around the world, heart disease ranks near the top in terms of its contribution to morbidity. Heart attacks account for more than six million deaths due to cardiovascular disease every year. Heart disease refers to a wide array of different conditions that affect the heart. Other conditions under the heart disease banner include blood vessel disorders, including coronary artery disease; heart rhythms problems (arrhythmias); and congenital heart abnormalities, among many others. If left unchecked, heart disease can be fatal.

As the leading cause of death in the United States, heart disease makes up a significant segment of the annual mortality rate. By improving your lifestyle and following the recommendations outlined below, you may be able to lower your risk for this deadly illness. It is always wise to monitor your health history on a regular basis, and keep a close eye on your cholesterol levels. This will help to identify any potential changes in your health that could make you more at risk for heart disease.

Obesity is the most prevalent risk factor for heart disease, even though there are other associated risk factors which are much more common. If you are overweight or obese, then your risk for diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, heart failure, and other cardiac disorders is significantly increased. Similarly, if you have diabetes, then your risk factors include high blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, stroke, heart failure, and eye problems such as glaucoma. Thus, weight loss is one of the best ways to prevent diabetes and other cardiac disorders.

Another common cardiovascular problem and one of the leading causes of death around the globe are hypertension. Among the leading causes of death worldwide, heart disease is number four. While, high blood pressure is a common problem, yet it can be controlled with medications and lifestyle changes. To know more about the link between cardiovascular problems and hypertension, please see the attached Fact Sheet “High Blood Pressure and Its Correlated Health Effects.”

One of the common problems with heart disease is atherosclerosis, which is also known as ‘hardening of the arteries.’ This condition occurs when the protective valves within the heart become damaged due to age, disease, or smoking. When the valves begin to lock up, blood cannot flow freely to the heart because the valve has lost its ability to prevent blood from flowing in. When this happens, the heart becomes stressed and begins to deteriorate.

A heart attack is often linked to a blood clot, which is also called a thrombus. As a blood clot builds up in a blood vessel, blood flow to the heart becomes compromised. For example, a blood clot could form inside a carotid artery that supplies the upper part of the body. Or, if someone got hit in the head and bled to death, the blood clot could form in the brain and cause stroke, which can also affect the heart.