Some of these risk factors can be controlled, and some cannot. If you have many risk factors, your risk of getting heart disease will be high. Cutting down your controllable number of risk factors is the key to a healthier heart. The health problems that run in our families play an important part in knowing what health problems we may develop. Research tells us that if two close family members have had a heart attack before the age of 55, the risk that other family members will develop heart disease is increased as much as five to ten times.
Smoking is a major cause of heart and blood vessel disease.
The American Heart Association says cigarette smoking is the most dangerous of the risk factors that can be controlled. The nicotine in cigarette smoke makes the heart work harder. The chemicals in cigarette smoke narrow the blood vessels in the arms and legs. The bad effects of smoking also occur in non-smokers who breathe smoke from those around them. Nicotine is not the only harmful chemical in cigarette smoke.