Diseases Associated with Heart Disease

What Do Having Diabetes, Being Overweight & Smoking Have in Common?

As if they’re not bad enough on their own, these three health issues are all linked to a common killer: heart disease.

No, it’s not particularly good news. But it’s invaluable information when determining your risk for heart disease. And hopefully, it’ll give you another reason to take another look at how you’re taking care of your body, so your body will continue to take care of you.

Diabetes Mellitus

Here are a few facts:

– Almost 65% of people with diabetes die from heart disease.

– Adults with diabetes are two to four times more likely develop heart disease.

– People with diabetes tend to develop heart disease an earlier age than other people.

– Heart attacks in people with diabetes are more serious and more likely to result in death.

Diabetes causes sugar levels to rise in blood, which can lead to deposits of fatty materials inside the blood vessel walls. These deposits may increase the chance of clogging and hardening of blood vessels.

If you have diabetes, it’s essential that you talk to your healthcare provider to manage it, and control other heart disease risks.

Obesity

It’s a terrible word, “Obesity.” But what’s worse is to know that being obese puts you at a much higher risk for heart disease.

The term “obese” refers to a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher, meaning you’re significantly above your ideal healthy weight. But you’re not alone.

– Nearly two-thirds of Americans are either overweight or obese.

Recently there’s been a lot of talk about childhood obesity–which has more than tripled in the past 30 years–but if we’re concentrating on heart disease you’d think we’re only concerned with adults. Think again.

– Overweight adolescents have a significantly increased risk of dying from heart disease when they reach adulthood.

The connection between unhealthy weight gain and the #1 cause of death in the U.S. is not something to be ignored. Especially not when it gives us an opportunity to help stop a killer.

Smoking Cigarettes

If you’re a smoker, there’s no doubt that you’re aware of your risks for lung cancer and respiratory diseases. So maybe you’re a gambler.

But did you know that:

– Smoking a pack a day more than doubles your risk of a heart attack?

– One year after you quit, the risks will be cut in half?

– In 15 years, your odds of having a heart attack are the same as non-smokers?

Right. Smoking tobacco is a major cause of coronary artery disease, and your risk of a heart only increases with the number of cigarettes you smoke.

Smokers should also be aware that nearly 40,000 nonsmokers die from heart disease each year as a result of “passive smoke.”

Yes, it’s all connected. Whether we like it or not.