3 . I HAVE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE
YES
NO
High blood pressure ( hypertension ) can be harmful to your blood vessels , which then increases the risk of heart disease and a stroke . High blood pressure accounts for 47 % of all heart disease cases , so it ’ s important to test your blood pressure regularly .
4 . I AM OVERWEIGHT / OBESE
YES
NO
Being overweight or obese can increase your risk for heart disease , type 2 diabetes and a stroke . Overweight or obese individuals are two-and-a-half times more likely to develop heart disease .
Your doctor can measure your waist circumference to determine whether you are at a healthy weight . A healthy waist circumference should be less than 88cm for women and less than 102cm for men . Anything higher , places you at an increased risk of obesity .
5 . I SMOKE
YES
NO
While this risk is not measurable by a screening test , you can reduce your risk of heart disease by stopping smoking . Smokers are two to four times more likely to develop heart disease .
Quitting smoking helps to normalise blood pressure levels and improve blood circulation . After a year of not smoking , you ’ ll reduce your risk of heart disease by 50 %.
NOTE : If three of these five risk factors applies to you , consult your doctor as soon as possible to find out how best to manage your risk .
Losing weight to reduce both your blood pressure and high cholesterol levels , quitting smoking , exercising more and consuming a diet rich in fruits , vegetables and whole grains are good places to start .
References
• http :// www . heartfoundation . co . za / types-of-heart-disease /
• https :// my . clevelandclinic . org / health / articles / 17488-smoking
• http :// www . heartfoundation . co . za / cholesterol /
• https :// www . cdc . gov / dhdsp / data _ statistics / fact _ sheets / fs _ cholesterol . htm
• https :// www . diabetessa . org . za / about-diabetes /
• https :// www . uptodate . com / contents / cardiovascular-risks-of-hypertension
• https :// academic . oup . com / eurheartj / article / 39 / 5 / 397 / 4081012
• https :// www . webmd . com / diet / guide / calculating-your-waist-circumference
• https :// www . ucsfhealth . org / education / understanding _ your _ risk _ for _ heart _ disease /
• https :// www . westerncape . gov . za / general-publication / obesity-your-waistline-killing-you
• https :// www . heart . org / en / healthy-living / healthy-lifestyle / quit-smoking-tobacco / the-benefits-of-quitting-smoking-now
• https :// www . heart . org / en / health-topics / diabetes / why-diabetes-matters / cardiovascular-disease--diabetes
Bonitas Member Magazine Issue 3 | 2021
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