Currently, doctors have identified the main risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Based on this, doctors have developed recommendations for maintaining the right lifestyle. If you adhere to these rules, then a person will be able to keep his blood vessels and heart young for as long as possible.
On the main triggering factors
The list of those conditions that may become a predisposing factor to the formation of such pathologies is quite extensive. Among the main ones, the following should be noted:
- physical inactivity;
- weight gain;
- consumption of large amounts of salt;
- high blood cholesterol;
- age over 45 years;
- male;
- hereditary predisposition;
- smoking;
- diabetes.
Such risk factors for cardiovascular disease are well known. Each of them has its own negative impact, which can lead to the formation of pathology. If there are several such conditions at once, the likelihood of ailments increases.
Hypodynamia
Any organs and tissues for full functioning must be in good shape. This requires a periodic increase in the load on them. For vessels and the heart, this is also true. If a person moves too little, does not engage in physical education, leads a "sedentary" or "lying" lifestyle, this leads to a gradual deterioration of the body's performance. Against the background of physical inactivity, the patient may also have other risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. These include excess weight, as well as diabetes.
With hypodynamia, the vessels lose their tone. As a result, they are unable to cope with the increased volumes of carried blood. This leads to an increase in blood pressure, which, in turn, causes myocardial overstrain and possible damage to the vessels themselves.
Weight gain
All risk factors for cardiovascular diseases can lead to the development of this pathology, but more often than others, the reason for their formation is overweight.
Excess weight is bad in that it has a constant additional load on the cardiovascular system. In addition, an excess amount of adipose tissue is deposited not only under the skin, but also around the internal organs, including the heart. If this process reaches too much severity, then a similar "bag" of connective tissue can interfere with normal contractions. As a result, problems arise directly with blood circulation.
Excessive Salt
It has long been known that many risk factors for the development of cardiovascular diseases are associated with the gastronomic predilections of a person. At the same time, more often than others, table salt is called as the products that should be limited to almost everyone’s diet.
The basis of its adverse effects on the body is the fact that the salt contains sodium ions. This mineral is able to retain water molecules in the vascular cavity. As a result, the volume of circulating blood increases, and the patient's blood pressure level may increase, which adversely affects the walls of blood vessels and myocardium.
Limit gastronomic risk factors for diseases of the cardiovascular system is possible only with the help of a diet.
Increased blood cholesterol
Another serious risk factor for cardiovascular disease is high blood cholesterol. The fact is that with an increase in this indicator more than 5.2 mmol / l, such a compound can be deposited on the walls. As a result, an atherosclerotic plaque forms over time. Gradually increasing in size, it will narrow the lumen of the blood vessel. Such a formation becomes especially dangerous in those cases when it affects those vessels that supply the heart itself with blood. As a result, ischemic disease of this most important organ develops, and sometimes a heart attack.
Age over 45
Not all risk factors for the development of diseases of the cardiovascular system can be controlled by a person and corrected by changing lifestyle. Some of them, such as over 45 years old, sooner or later overtake the patient. This risk factor is due to the fact that by this period of life the cardiovascular system is already beginning to gradually wear out. Those compensatory capabilities of the body that previously protected the heart and blood vessels begin to deplete. As a result, the risk of developing various pathologies of these structures is significantly increased.
Male
Another uncontrolled factor is the gender affiliation of a person. Men are much more likely to develop cardiovascular diseases due to the fact that they have virtually no female sex hormones - estrogens. These active substances have a protective effect on blood vessels and the heart itself. In the postmenopausal period, women significantly increase the risk of forming a pathology of the cardiological profile.
Heredity
A review of risk factors for cardiovascular diseases will be incomplete if you do not touch upon the issues of a hereditary predisposition to this type of pathology. In order to determine how high the likelihood of occurrence of ailments of a cardiological profile is high, one should analyze the level of their incidence among immediate relatives. If the pathology of the cardiovascular system is observed in almost every close person, then it is necessary to undergo electrocardiography, ultrasound of the heart and go to an appointment with an experienced cardiologist.
Smoking
The main risk factors for cardiovascular disease include many of the points that represent certain bad habits. Smoking contributes to the temporary narrowing of blood vessels. As a result, their throughput is reduced. If after smoking a person begins to perform active actions that require increased intake of oxygen and nutrients to the heart, this is achieved only by increasing blood flow. The result is a dissonance between the needs and capabilities of the vessels. Without additional oxygen and nutrients, the heart suffers, which is accompanied by pain. It is recommended to abandon this addiction as soon as possible, otherwise the pathology of the heart and blood vessels will become irreversible.
Diabetes
This disease is fraught with a large number of unpleasant complications. One of them is the inevitable destructive effect of high blood glucose on the state of blood vessels. They get damaged pretty quickly. Especially severely affected are those that have a relatively small diameter (for example, a renal vein). With the defeat of such vessels, the functioning of those organs that are supplied with oxygen and nutrients due to them suffers.
Ways to limit the influence of harmful factors
Naturally, it is impossible to change age, gender and heredity. But the adverse effects of other risk factors can be avoided through lifestyle correction. The patient should give up bad habits, especially smoking and alcohol abuse. In this case, replacing tobacco with an electronic cigarette will not help, since the latter also contains nicotine, sometimes even more than regular cigarettes.
An extremely important point in the exclusion of the main risk factors is the change in the gastronomic behavior of a person. He should refuse overeating, eat less than various seasonings, including a large amount of table salt. In addition, do not abuse too fatty foods. We are talking about those of them that are of animal origin. It is these foods that can increase blood cholesterol levels quite strongly.
Of course, do not neglect physical exercise. Morning exercises, periodic trips to the gym and walking in the evenings will help to avoid physical inactivity.
If all these rules are observed, the risk of developing dangerous diseases will undoubtedly be reduced, including those that affect the heart and blood vessels.