The American Heart Association reports that almost one out of every two adults over the age of 20 in the U.S. were diagnosed with some type of cardiovascular disease between 2013 and 2016. Altogether, 121.6 million people suffered from hypertension, coronary heart disease, heart failure, or stroke. When hypertension is excluded, the number of people who had the other forms of cardiovascular disease was 24.5 million.
In the U.S., heart disease is the leading cause of death. There was a year-over-year increase in the number of heart disease-related deaths of 4,156 people up to 840,678 deaths in 2016. Worldwide, deaths from heart disease fell during the same two-year period from 17.9 million to 17.6 million.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people do several things to reduce their risk of developing cardiovascular disease. They can take preventive measures and live healthy lifestyles. Some of the things that people can do include following healthy diets, getting regular exercise, not smoking, not using other tobacco products, and drinking alcohol in moderation.
Reducing and controlling high blood pressure can prevent more deaths from cardiovascular disease than the elimination of all other factors that contribute to the risk except for smoking in men.
The risk factors for cardiovascular disease include genetic factors, being overweight or obese, getting poor or inadequate sleep, living a sedentary lifestyle, smoking or using tobacco products, having uncontrolled high blood pressure, and drinking heavily.
The study also revealed some positive changes. For example, the number of adults who reported that they didn’t smoke from 2015 to 2016 increased by 6 percent to 79 percent overall from the number of adults who reported not smoking from 1999 to 2000. Similarly, 94 percent of children ages 12 to 19 reported that they did not smoke from 2015 to 2016 as compared to 76 percent from 1999 to 2000.
The key takeaways from the research appear to be the importance of losing weight, staying active, and getting enough sleep. People should also make certain that they make healthful dietary choices and avoid smoking. If you have some risk factors for cardiovascular disease, it is a good idea for you to talk to a doctor. Call us today to schedule an appointment so that you can learn about how you can reduce your own risks.