Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors and Prevention
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the number one cause of death in the United States for both men and women belonging to any racial or ethnic group. ... One out of every four American will develop some sort of cardiovascular disease in their lifetime. Several risk factors can be measured to determine the likelihood that one will develop cardiovascular disease at some point in their life. The early detection of cardiovascular disease risks is a key to prevention. Once identified, the risk factors can be reduced in a variety of methods (Hahn 36-40). Several core risk factors can aid in the prediction of the possibility of someone developing cardiovascular disease in the future. Weight, physical activity level, cigarette use, diet, alcohol consumption levels, hypertension, high cholesterol and diabetes mellitus are factors of cardiovascular disease. Additional factors, such as race, gender, and geographic location of residency can be used to predict the development of cardiovascular disease. While a physician would be most suited to analyze the risk of cardiovascular disease, individuals can assess their lifestyle independently determine if they need to take additional steps to reduce their risk factors (CDC).