Preventing

Cardiovascular
Disease
10
LEARNING OUTCOMES
1 Define cardiovascular disease
and describe the prevalence
of this condition in the United
States and worldwide.
2 List the major (primary) and
contributory (secondary) risk
factors for coronary heart
disease and identify those risk
factors that can be modified.
3 Outline a plan for reducing
your risk for developing
cardiovascular disease.

283
 do it! LABS

laboratory 10.1 Complete Lab 10.1 online in the study

area of Mastering Health.

Name __________________________________________________________________________ Date ____________

Assessing Your Risk

The following assessment is based on information from the National Cholesterol Education Program’s treatment
guidelines. The first step helps you establish your overall coronary risk. You’ll need to know your systolic blood
pressure, your total cholesterol level, and your HDL cholesterol level. If you’re not sure of those numbers, ask
your doctor and, if necessary, schedule an exam to get them. The American Heart Association recommends
that everyone should have a complete lipid profile done every 5 years, starting at age 20.

STEP 1: TAKE THE HEART-ATTACK RISK TEST

This test will identify your chance of having a heart attack or dying of coronary disease in the next 10 years.
People with previously diagnosed coronary disease, diabetes, aortic aneurysm, or symptomatic carotid artery
disease or peripheral artery disease already face more than a 20% risk; they can skip the test and go straight
to step 2. The test uses data from the Framingham Heart Study, the world’s longest-running study of cardiovas-
cular risk factors. The test is limited to established, major factors that are easily measured. Circle (or select) the
point value for each of the risk factors shown.

AGE
Years Women Men

20–34 -7 -9
35–39 -3 -4
40–44    0   0
45–49    3   3
50–54    6   6
55–59    8   8
60–64 10 10
65–69 12 11
70–74 14 12
75–79 16 13

TOTAL CHOLESTEROL
Age 20–39 Age 40–49 Age 50–59 Age 60–69 Age 70–79
mg/dL Women Men Women Men Women Men Women Men Women Men

6 160 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
160–199 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 1 1 0
200–239 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 1 0
420–279 11 9 8 6 5 4 3 2 2 1
280 + 13 11 10 8 7 5 4 3 2 1

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 laboratory 10.1 (continued)

HIGH-DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN (HDL) CHOLESTEROL

mg/dL Women and Men

60 + 1
50–59 0
40–49 1
6 40 2

SYSTOLIC BLOOD PRESSURE (THE HIGHER NUMBER)

Treated Untreated
mm Hg Women Men Women Men

6120 0 0 0 0
120–129 1 0 3 1
130–139 2 1 4 2
140–159 3 1 5 2
7159 4 2 6 3

SMOKING
Age 20–39 Age 40–49 Age 50–59 Age 60–69 Age 70–79
Women Men Women Men Women Men Women Men Women Men
9 8 7 5 4 3 2 1 1 1

Total Your Points _________________

Now find your total point score in the men’s or women’s column to locate your 10-year risk (the far-right
column).

TEN-YEAR RISK FOR HEART DISEASE

Women’s Score Men’s Score Your 10-Year Risk
6 20 6 12 6 10%
20–22 12–15 10%–20%
7 22 7 15 7 20%

299
STEP 2: DETERMINE IF YOU NEED A TREATMENT PLAN
If your overall CHD risk indicates that you need to lower your LDL cholesterol level, you can do this by making
lifestyle changes. In some cases, medication may also be prescribed. Locate your CHD risk in the chart below.
This risk is based on the 10-year heart attack risk that you just calculated, as well as your overall CHD risk factors.

If you are at moderate to high risk, make an appointment with your health-care provider now to establish a
treatment plan.

CHD RISK GROUPS

Very High

1. Ten-year heart attack risk of 20% or more or

2. History of coronary heart disease, diabetes, peripheral artery disease, carotid artery disease, or aortic aneurysm

High

1. Ten-year heart attack risk of 10% to 20% and

2. Two or more major coronary risk factors†

Moderately High

1. Ten-year heart attack risk under 10% and

2. Two or more major coronary risk factors†

Low to Moderate

1. One or no major coronary risk factors†

†
Major coronary risk factors include tobacco smoking, hypertension, high blood cholesterol levels, physical inactivity, obesity and being overweight, diabetes mellitus,
heredity, gender, and increasing age.

300
 do it! LABS

laboratory 10.2 Complete Lab 10.2 online in the study

area of Mastering Health.

Name __________________________________________________________________________ Date ____________

Understanding Your Risk for Cardiovascular Disease

Each of us has a unique level of risk for various diseases. You can take action to change some of these risks;
others are risks that you need to consider as you plan a lifelong strategy for overall risk reduction. Answer each
of the following questions, and total your points in each section. If you score between 1 and 5 in any section,
consider your risk: The higher the number, the greater your risk. If you answered “Don’t know” to any question,
talk to your parents or other family members as soon as possible to find out whether you have any unknown
risks.

PART I: ASSESS YOUR FAMILY RISK FOR CVD

1. Do any of your primary relatives (mother, father, grandparents, siblings) have a history of heart disease or
stroke?
Yes _______ (1 point) No _______ (0 points) Don’t know _______

2. Do any of your primary relatives (mother, father, grandparents, siblings) have diabetes?
Yes _______ (1 point) No _______ (0 points) Don’t know _______

3. Do any of your primary relatives (mother, father, grandparents, siblings) have high blood pressure?
Yes _______ (1 point) No _______ (0 points) Don’t know _______

4. Do any of your primary relatives (mother, father, grandparents, siblings) have a history of high cholesterol?
Yes _______ (1 point) No _______ (0 points) Don’t know _______

5. Would you say that your family consumed a high-fat diet (lots of red meat, dairy products, butter or
margarine) during your time spent at home?
Yes _______ (1 point) No _______ (0 points) Don’t know _______

Total points _________________

PART II: ASSESS YOUR LIFESTYLE RISK FOR CVD

1. Is your total cholesterol level higher than it should be?

Yes _______ (1 point) No _______ (0 points) Don’t know _______

2. Do you have high blood pressure?

Yes _______ (1 point) No _______ (0 points) Don’t know _______

3. Have you been diagnosed as prediabetic or diabetic?

Yes _______ (1 point) No _______ (0 points) Don’t know _______

4. Do you smoke?
Yes _______ (1 point) No _______ (0 points) Don’t know _______

5. Would you describe your life as being highly stressful?

Yes _______ (1 point) No _______ (0 points) Don’t know _______

Total points _________________

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PART III: ASSESS YOUR ADDITIONAL RISKS FOR CVD

1. How would you best describe your current weight?

a. Lower than what it should be for my height and weight. (0 points)
b. About what it should be for my height and weight. (0 points)
c. Higher than it should be for my height and weight. (1 point)

2. How would you describe the level of exercise that you get each day?
a. Less than what I should be exercising each day. (1 point)
b. About what I should be exercising each day. (0 points)
c. More than what I should be exercising each day. (0 points)

3. How would you describe your typical caloric intake?

a. About the recommended number of calories each day. (0 points)
b. Less than the recommended number of calories each day. (0 points)
c. More than the recommended number of calories each day. (1 point)

4. Which of the following best describes your typical dietary behavior?

a. I select from each of the major food groups and try to eat the recommended amounts of fruits and
­vegetables. (0 points)
b. I eat high amounts of saturated fat from red meat and dairy products each day. (1 point)
c. Whenever possible, I try to substitute olive oil or canola oil for other forms of dietary fat. (0 points)

5. Do you have a history of Chlamydia infection?

a. Yes. (1 point)
b. No. (0 points)

Total points _________________

302
 do it! LABS

laboratory 10.3 Complete Lab 10.3 online in the study

area of Mastering Health.

Name __________________________________________________________________________ Date ____________

Assessing Your Genetic Predisposition for Cardiovascular

Disease
The following is a family tree that allows you to fill in risk factors for heart disease in your family members.
Remember that heart disease has a genetic component, so examining your relatives’ health and lifestyles will
provide insight into your future susceptibility to heart disease. Write in risk factors related to heart disease for
each family member. Examples include hypertension, high blood cholesterol, diabetes, stroke, obesity, and
heart attack.

Your Family History of Heart Disease

Grandparents Grandparents

Aunts/Uncles Mother Father Aunts/Uncles

Sisters You Brothers

In the space below, list any additional diet, behavior, or lifestyle risks in your life that may contribute to heart
­disease. Examples include high stress level, poor diet, physical inactivity, or high sodium intake.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

INTERPRETATION
Inherited traits can increase your risk of cardiovascular disease. Discovering that you have a family history
of CHD risk factors is a good first step in reducing your own risk. You are not necessarily destined to develop
any of the conditions present in your relatives. Lifestyle changes that include moderate exercise and proper
diet can reduce your risk of developing cardiovascular disease. Being aware of health concerns and prob-
lems within your family that may be passed on genetically will make you a more informed, health-conscious
individual.

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