Causes of heart disease

There are many causes of heart disease. The major cause is atherosclerosis. The rest, we like to call "risk factors", which are basically things that can increase a person's risk of developing heart disease.

Some risk factors you can't change, like your age and gender (although many people try to change both of these!). There are more risk factors that you can change. There are also contributing factors; things that are linked with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.


Major risk factors


1. Gender

Men are more likely to have a heart attack than women, and they tend to have them younger. Women's risk of heart attack increases significantly after menopause.

2. Genetics

A family history of heart disease puts you at greater risk of developing heart disease yourself. This is because you share similar genetics to your family. Keep in mind though, that people often inherit bad habits from their family too! So if your parents had an unhealthy diet and smoked, it may be more likely that you might inherit similar habits. It could be these habits that increase your risk of heart disease, as opposed to your genetics.

3. Age

The older you are, the higher your risk for heart disease. Why? atherosclerosis has had more time to develop in your arteries.


Major risk factors for heart disease that you can modify!


4. High cholesterol

The higher the level of cholesterol in the blood, the more will be deposited in arteries, and the greater the risk of heart disease. A great deal of people believe that high cholesterol is one of the major causes of heart disease. After reading through the pages on this website, you should have plenty of ideas on how to lower your cholesterol.

5. Smoking

Some of the chemicals in cigarette smoke damage the inner lining of the arteries. This can result in more cholesterol entering the artery wall, and a higher chance of blood clots in the arteries. Smoking is considered to be one of the main causes of heart disease which can be modified.

6. Physical inactivity/ sedentary life

If regular physical activity can reduce the risk of heart disease, then it makes sense that lack of activity can increase your risk. Why? Inactive people tend to lead less healthy lifestyles, ie. they may follow an unhealthy diet, they are more likely to have high blood pressure, high cholesterol and be overweight.

7. Diabetes control

The risk of developing heart disease are greater when diabetes is poorly controlled. However, even when sugar levels are well controlled, there is an increased risk.

8. High blood pressure

High blood pressure means that blood is pumped through the body at an increased force, which can mean that cholesterol is deposited in the arteries at greater rates. Having high blood pressure raises the workload for the heart, which can make it become more rigid and thickened. Along with smoking, high blood pressure is considered one of the major causes of heart disease. Click here for tips on how you can lower blood pressure naturally.

9. Being overweight or obese

There is a higher risk of heart disease if the excess weight a person is carrying is located around the waist. Being overweight or obese in general puts extra pressure on the heart, as there are more cells that need blood supply, and further distances to travel. Overweight or obese people also tend to have higher cholesterol levels and higher blood pressure.


Contributing factors


- stress

there is evidence that stress may be a contributing factor to heart disease. It may also increase a persons tendency to engage in other habits which increase a persons risk for heart disease, such as smoking, poor diet, lack of activity etc.

- alcohol consumption

excess alcohol can raise blood pressure, triglycerides, it can damage the heart muscle and can increase risk for stroke. It also contributes to obesity.

- diet

a diet high in saturated and/or trans fat can increase cholesterol levels, which can in turn lead to heart disease.

- menopause

Cholesterol and risk of heart disease tends to increase during the menopause transition. Studies have shown that during menopause, there is a reduction in estrogen levels, which in turn increases LDL cholesterol by up to 20%. Estrogen is known to be heart protective, and as levels decline, women tend to store fat around the abdominal region instead of the lower body (hips and thighs). Having fat stored close to the organs is more dangerous to heart health.

- disempowerment

Interestingly, research suggests that strong feelings of disempowerment may potentially be one of the causes of heart disease!

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