Don't Delay! Call 911 if you think you or someone you know is having a heart attack or stroke. This prevents precious moments from being wasted in your diagnosis and treatment. Every minute counts and can be the difference between life and death.
Over 1 in 4 (28.4%) Idahoan deaths in 2007 were the result of heart disease or stroke. Although that statistic is staggering, there is some good news. Heart disease and stroke can be largely prevented by choosing and practicing healthy lifestyle behaviors. By becoming physically active, using healthy eating habits, avoiding tobacco, maintaining a healthy body mass, controlling blood pressure, controlling cholesterol, and managing diabetes one can affect their risk of disease.
Risk factors are characteristics that increase the likelihood of developing disease. Some risk factors can be changed (modifable), and some cannot (non-modifable). The more risk factors a person has, the greater the chance that he or she will develop cardiovascular disease. Below is a table that outlines the major associated risk factors.
High Blood Pressure - high blood pressure increases the heart's work load, causing the heart to enlarge and weaken over time. It also increases the risk of stroke, heart attack, kidney failure and congestive heart failure.