However, men have a greater life-long risk of heart attack, and experience attacks earlier in life. Another major factor that can't be changed is heredity. You're at greater risk for it if your parents had heart disease. The major factors individuals can change include smoking, high blood cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, obesity, physical inactivity and being overweight. Smokers have twice as high a risk of heart attack as nonsmokers, and have two to four times the risk of sudden cardiac death.
Smokers are also more likely to die quickly and suddenly than nonsmokers.
People exposed to second-hand smoke may also have an increased risk. Among racial groups, African-Americans have the highest death rates from the disease. High blood pressure is also generally more severe among elderly African-Americans than elderly whites, leading to more cases of strokes, heart disease and kidney failure. High cholesterol increases the risk of coronary heart disease. This factor is even more important when other factors are present, such as diet or smoking.