Know Your Risk for Heart Disease

Know Your Risk for Heart Disease

As We Get Older You’re more likely to have vascular problems as you get older. What happens as you age? Plaque and cholesterol build up in your arteries, thickening and stiffening them — leaving less room for blood to flow. This lower blood flow can lead to a stroke, an aneurysm or a heart attack.…

February 6, 2021

1–2 minutes

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As We Get Older

You’re more likely to have vascular problems as you get older. What happens as you age? Plaque and cholesterol build up in your arteries, thickening and stiffening them — leaving less room for blood to flow. This lower blood flow can lead to a stroke, an aneurysm or a heart attack.

Know Your Risk

The most common vascular diseases are:

Atherosclerosis, where plaque builds up on the inner walls of the blood vessels. This can cause:

Pain or pressure in your chest, shoulders, arms, neck, jaw or back — Feeling short of breath
Problems with the rhythm of your heart beat

2. Peripheral Arterial Disease. The arteries outside of your heart become too narrow, and not enough blood can flow through. This can cause:

Heart attack
Stroke
Pain and trouble walking
Sores or infections that won’t heal
Loss of an arm or a leg because of poor circulation

3. Carotid Artery Disease. The major arteries leading to the brain in the neck become clogged with plaque. This can cause strokes due to the lower blood flow to the brain, or from clots and bits of plaque breaking off and flowing to the brain.

4. Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm. This happens when the aorta, the largest artery in the body, weakens and begins to bulge. This bulge is called an aneurysm. It may keep getting bigger and rupture if it isn’t treated, leading to sudden death.

Here’s a good post on how to keep your heart healthy > https://empress2inspire.blog/2021/02/05/protect-your-heart/

Did you know? For many people, increasing their level of activity, even walking, has a very positive impact on their longevity. To learn more about vascular health, visit the American Heart Association online at heart.org. What’s your risk? Use their Heart Attack Risk Calculator to find out. Or visit WedMD’s Heart Disease Health Center at webmd.com.

Reference : https://file.anthem.com/MANSH4013ABS.pdf