Heart disease is the single biggest killer of Australians. But it can be prevented by understanding your risk factors. While there isn’t one single cause of heart disease, there are multiple types of risk factors that can significantly increase your chance of developing it. The greater number of risk factors you have, the higher your chance of having a heart attack or stroke.
Unfortunately, there are some risk factors that can’t be changed. These can include your age and family history. However, there are many different factors that we do have the ability to control, which can significantly minimise your chance of developing heart disease.
Three key risk factors that you should be regularly monitoring include your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar.
The Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute Heart Health Check Tour aims to empower community members to take control of their blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar by understanding their numbers.
Find out what your blood pressure levels, cholesterol levels, and blood sugar levels mean and how it impacts your heart health.
The health of your heart and arteries and how much blood your heart pumps, determines your blood pressure (also known as hypertension). High blood pressure can strain your heart and speed up the process of heart disease.
Your blood pressure readings contain two numbers. The higher number is your systolic blood pressure which measures the pressure as the heart contracts. The lower number (diastolic) measures the pressure in the artery as the heart relaxes.
What causes high blood pressure?
How do I reduce my blood pressure?
Learn more about High Blood Pressure
Cholesterol is a form of fat that is found in the blood and all cells in the body. Cholesterol comes from the foods we eat (animal products – meats and diary) and from our own body (manufactured in the liver). Excess cholesterol can affect blood flow and is a risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
There are two main types of cholesterol:
LDL (bad cholesterol): this type of cholesterol builds up in the walls of your arteries, making them hard and narrow which can increase the risk of a heart attack.
HDL (good cholesterol): this type picks up excess cholesterol and takes it back to the liver.
What causes high cholesterol?
How do I reduce my cholesterol?
Learn more about High Cholesterol
Glucose (also known as blood sugar) is a source of energy for all cells in the body and brain. The amount and type of carbohydrates and sugars you eat will affect your blood sugar levels. Excess sugar in the blood can cause damage to blood vessels and can be an indicator of diabetes risk.
Your blood sugar level is the amount of glucose present in your blood. Non-fasting blood sugar results will be affected by what you have eaten or had to drink within a 4 hour window of being checked.
What can cause high blood sugar?
How can I reduce my blood sugar?
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