Heart Attack Risk

In helping you to determine your heart attack risk, answer the following questions.  If you answer “yes” to one of them, your risk of heart attack is higher than the rest of the population.  The more questions you answer “yes” to, the higher your risk becomes. 

• Are you male and over 45 years old?
• Are you a woman and over 55 years old?
• Are you a woman and post-menopausal?
• Are you a smoker?
• Do you have high blood pressure (140/90 or higher)?
• Do blood tests confirm that you have high cholesterol?
• Do you get fewer than 30 minutes of exercise on most days?
• Have you had a heart attack before?
• Do you have angina?
• Has a brother or your dad had a heart attack before 55 years old?
• Has a sister or your mom had a heart attack before 65 years old?
• Are you under constant stress?
• Are you a diabetic?
• Are you overweight or obese with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or higher?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, and you have not seen a physician in a while, then you should make an appointment to see him/her.  If you are currently under the care of a physician, making some lifestyle changes could significantly reduce your risk of having a heart attack.