Through this analysis, priority populations can be more closely monitored for improvements and possible public health interventions. The lower the rank, the higher the cardiovascular risk. Proper control of blood lipid levels is another important part of a healthy heart lifestyle. The medical literature has reported that cholesterol levels can be lowered by diet, exercise and by the use of medication if deemed appropriate by a physician. In addition, increasing physical activity can increase HDL levels.
Hypertension is also a controllable risk factor to reduce the potential risk from heart disease.
Hypertension can be controlled by a number of factors including reducing the intake of sodium from salt, increasing the amount of physical activity and taking medication if deemed appropriate by a physician. Special population groups need to pay particular attention to cardiovascular disease risk factors. Although the smoking rate is lower for blacks, the rate of hypertension, diabetes, and being overweight are higher. The cardiovascular mortality rate for the Hispanic population is significantly below the state average and the national average. In part, the lower rate can be explained by the age distribution of the population in the state.