Cardiovascular risk factors

There are very many risk factors that are associated with CVD. Most of these factors cannot be changed; age, ethnicity and family history. Other risk factors such as tobacco exposure, high cholesterol, unhealthy diets, increased alcohol intake, lack of physical activity and hypertension can be treated. A primary factor that makes treatment and management of CVD difficult in developing countries is hidden in the fact that these countries are still struggling with escalating rates of CVD because of the scourges of infectious diseases and poor nutrition. It is concluded that one cannot generally develop CVD if they have a risk factor but there is a greater likelihood that you can acquire CVD when you have more risk factors (Unal, Sözmen, Arık et al. 2013). The more the risk factors the higher the likelihood that an individual should modify their risk factors and work towards preventing them from compromising on their heart health.

Risk factors

Hypertension is the biggest risk factor for CVD as it plays a significant role in all CVD diseases. Hypertension can be successfully prevented or treated when the patient if well diagnosed and sticks to the management plan recommended. In reducing an individual risk to CVD from hypertension, adopting a healthy diet and increasing physical activity is recommended (Borodulin, Vartiainen & Peltonen et al. 2015). At the same time, taking drugs as prescribed by the doctor is a factor that reduces the compromise of CVD on patients. In changing to a healthy diet, patients with high risks to CVD are advised to develop a diet low in saturated fat. Other times, cardiologists’ advice patients to engage in frequent consumption of fish. Individuals who consume fish regularly would have lower instances of CVD compared to non-consumers because the intervention trials of fish oils have proven to be convincing. Therefore, a primary intervention in preventing CVD could be justified by simply recommending fish consumption as part of healthy feeding habits without clients having to use fish oil supplements.

Physical inactivity is also a major risk factor for CVD. Obesity and diabetes are a result of physical inactivity. Obesity is a condition that requires patients to lose weight as an important priority to minimizing the effect of CVD. Having one of these factors or both makes one twice likely to have CVD. When addressing patients with CVD, care givers always advice on maintaining not only a healthy diet but stay active by engaging in physical activities like running, cycling, jogging or walking. Apart from physical activities, educational programs on weight loss surgery are given to patients to help them lose significant weight needed for treatment.

Smoking and heavy alcohol intake is significant modifiable factors that lead to CKD. The use of tobacco whether chewing or smoking escalates your chances of cardiovascular disease. This risk is particularly very high when the patient is a woman, of a young age and a heavy smoker. In smoking, passive smokers are not exempted from CVD acquiring. No matter how long you have smoked tobacco, professional care givers advice that the risk of CVD would decrease significantly when you stop. Health professionals advice on being taken through smoking cessation procedure to reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and reduce mortality. Patients who are exposed to high level smoking are also placed on a nicotine replacement medication and therapy which make smoking cessation effective.