New Risk Factors for Heart Attack

 
 

Major  risk factors for heart attacks are well known like smoking, obesity, lack of exercise , high blood pressure, high cholesterol, etc are well known.Scientific research    has identified  new risk factors in the past few years which alert us to make changes in lifestyle to mitigate the risk when its possible . It could be as simple as not skipping breakfast, decreasing consumption of sugary drinks , shorter working hours etc .

Known Major Risk factors for Heart attack are

• Smoking
• Hyperlipidemia ( increased Cholesterol ) 
• Hypertension( high blood pressure )
• Diabetes mellitus
• Age- more the age more the risk
• Obesity
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Positive family history for heart attack at an early age

This is the complete list of the newly identified risk factors.

Increased Inflammation

• Gout
• Inflammatory bowel disease( Chron's , Ulcerative Colitis)
• Autoimmune collagen vascular diseases( Rheumatiod Arthritis,SLE etc)
• Psoriasis

In women 

• Gestational diabetes( high sugar levels during pregnancy)
• Pre-eclampsia (  high blood pressure during pregnancy ) 
• Premature or surgical menopause( by Hysterectomy) . 
• Migraine headaches with aura in women
• Pre-term delivery
• Delivery of a low birth weight baby

Children

• Preterm babies
• Early-life trauma - adverse childhood experiences
• Transgender patients who present for gender-affirming care

Environmental factors

• Low socioeconomic status
• Air pollution

Lifestyle factors

• Long working hours
• Skipping breakfast
• Beverages containing sugar or artificial sweeteners