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Knowing Your Risk Factors

knowing your risk factors

Is it possible to know if you will develop Diabetes? Can you predict if and when you are going to have a heart attack? The answer is no. You can't look into a crystal ball and know for sure if or when you may develop a particular disease. But there is a way to find out if you are at increased risk. It involves learning about your risk factors as well as monitoring your health.

Risk factors are conditions or behaviors that increase your chance of developing disease. There are major risk factors and contributing risk factors. Major risk factors are those that research has clearly linked to an increased risk of a particular disease. The scientific evidence linking contributing risk factors is not as strong, but studies do show a connection.


How do you find out if you have any of these risk factors? Regular screenings can help identify what risk factors you have so that you can take steps to decrease them. A screening is a test or exam by a medical professional to find a condition before symptoms begin. Screening tests may help find diseases or conditions early, when they are easier to treat. We call this knowing your numbers!


 

risk factors of heart disease

 

Uncontrollable Factors
  • 65 years or older
  • Male
  • African American, Mexican American, American Indian, native Hawaiian or Asian American
  • Have parents who have (or had) heart disease

Controllable Factors

  • Smoke cigarettes, cigars, or pipes, or are exposed to tobacco smoke
  • Have high blood cholesterol
  • Have high blood pressure
  • Not regularly physically active
  • Overweight or obese
  • Have Diabetes mellitus - even if blood glucose (sugar) levels are under control
  • Have high levels of stress
  • Drink more than one to two drinks per day if you are a man or one drink per day if you are a woman¹
  • Often eat foods high in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium, and/or calories

 

risk factors of diabetes

 

Uncontrollable Factors
  • Age 45 or older
  • African American, Latin American, American Indian and Alaska Native, Asian American or Pacific Islander
  • Have a family history of Diabetes
  • Have had diabetes during pregnancy or have given birth to a baby that weighed more than 9 pounds
  • Dark or thickened skin around neck or armpits
  • Polycystic ovary syndrome
  • History of disease of blood vessels to the heart, brain, or legs
  • Impaired glucose tolerance

Controllable Factors

  • Not regularly physically active
  • Overweight or obese
  • Have high blood pressure
  • Have low HDL ("good") cholesterol or high triglyceride levels
  • Often eat foods high in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium and/or calories

 

risk factors of high-blood pressure

 

Uncontrollable Factors
  • Age 45 or older for males or age 55 or older for females
  • African American
  • Have a family history of high blood pressure
  • Impaired glucose tolerance

Controllable Factors

  • Smoke cigarettes
  • Not regularly physically active
  • Eat foods with too much sodium
  • Drink more than one to two drinks per day if you are a man or one drink per day if you are a woman¹
  • Not eating enough foods with potassium
  • Have high levels of stress in your life

 

risk factor of stroke

 

Uncontrollable Factors
  • 55 years or older
  • Have a parent, grandparent, sister, or brother who had a stroke
  • African American
  • Have had a prior stroke, transient ischemic attacks (warning stroke that produces stroke-like symptoms but no lasting damage), or heart attack
  • Have Diabetes mellitus - even if blood glucose levels are under control
  • Have carotid artery (arteries in your neck that supply blood to your brain) or peripheral artery (arteries that carry blood to your arms and legs) disease
  • Have high blood pressure
  • Have a trial fibrillation - a heart rhythm disorder
  • Have heart disease, heart failure, or other disease/defect to your heart
  • Have abnormal blood cholesterol (high LDL "bad" cholesterol and/or low HDL "good" cholesterol)
  • Have sickle cell anemia

Controllable Factors

  • Female and on birth control pills or pregnant women
  • Smoke cigarettes
  • Often eat foods high in saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, sodium and/or calories
  • Not regularly physically active
  • Overweight or obese
  • Drink more than one to two drinks per day if you are a man or one drink per day if you are a woman¹
  • Addicted to drugs or abuse drugs including cocaine, amphetamines, and methamphetamines

¹A drink is one 12 oz. beer, 4 oz. of wine, 1.5 oz. of 80-proof spirits, or 1 oz. of 100-proof spirits