According to The Heart Foundation, 720,000 people die of heart disease every year making it the most common disease among men and women.  Cardiovascular diseases claim more lives than all forms of cancer combined.  In the United States, the statistics estimate that someone has a heart attack every 34 seconds.  To put things into perspective, in women, 1 in 3 die of heart disease compared to 1 in 31 for breast cancer.

The symptoms of heart disease are different in men and women, and are often misunderstood.  But symptoms of heart disease include chest pain, shortness of breath, pain, numbness, weakness or coldness in your legs or arms, and heart arrhythmias.   Worldwide, tobacco smoking was found to be one of the top three risk factors, along with unhealthy diet. Similarly, less than 1% of U.S. adults meet the American Heart Association's definition for an "ideal healthy diet."

Men over 50 and Heart Risk

Heart disease includes conditions like heart failure, coronary artery disease, arrhythmias, angina, to other heart-related infections, irregularities, and birth defects. It is estimated that one is three adult men has heart disease, making it important to understand the risk factors. There are some risk factors that cannot be changed so people in these high-risk categories should receive regular check-ups.  Below are some of these unmodifiable risks:

1. Age

Heart disease becomes increasingly common with advancing age. As a person gets older, the heart undergoes subtle physiologic changes, even in the absence of disease.  The heart muscle of the aged heart may relax less completely between beats, and as a result, the pumping chambers become stiffer and may work less efficiently.

2. Gender

A man is at greater risk of heart disease than a pre-menopausal woman. Once past the menopause, a woman’s risk is similar to a man’s.  Risk of stroke, however, is similar for men and women.

3. Family history

A family’s history of heart disease increases a person’s risk. If a first-degree blood relative has had coronary heart disease or stroke before the age of 55 years (for a male relative) or 65 years (for a female relative), the risk increases.

Other factors that increase your risk of heart problems which CAN be changed include:

·         High blood pressure

·         Tobacco use

·         Diabetes

·         Physical inactivity

·         Unhealthy diet

·         Cholesterol/lipids

·         Overweight and obesity