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Dear Healthy Men: What\u2019s the top cause of death in men and what can guys do to reduce their risk?<\/em><\/p>\nA:\u00a0<\/strong>Cardiovascular disease (CVD)\u2014which includes heart disease, congestive heart failure, stroke, atrial fabulation (A-Fib) high blood pressure, and other conditions that affect the heart and blood vessels\u2014is by far the biggest killer of men (and women) in this country, accounting for about one in every four deaths.<\/p>\nCVD is also a major cause of disability and decreases the quality of life for millions. Because CVD interferes with your heart\u2019s ability to pump blood through your body, it can keep you from working, spending time with friends and family, playing with your children or grandchildren, climbing stairs, carrying groceries in from the car, and even having sex.<\/p>\nEvaluating Your Risk<\/strong><\/h3>\nEven if you don\u2019t have cardiovascular disease now, you may have one or more habits or conditions that could increase the chance that you\u2019ll develop it. Look at the list of statements below. If any of them are true about you, make an appointment to see your healthcare provider today. Just one \u201cYes\u201d answer means you are at risk. Two \u201cYes\u201d answers doesn\u2019t just double your risk\u2014it actually quadruples it (increases it by four times). Having three factors increases your risk by 10 times:<\/p>\n
\n- I\u2019m 45 or older. (Your risk of developing cardiovascular disease doubles each decade.<\/li>\n
- An immediate family member (father, mother, brother, sister) was diagnosed with high blood pressure or some other kind of heart condition before age 55.<\/li>\n
- I\u2019m African American.<\/li>\n
- I get little or no exercise.<\/li>\n
- I\u2019m overweight or obese.<\/li>\n
- I eat a lot of salty foods and\/or I add salt to what I\u2019m eating.<\/li>\n
- My cholesterol is high (see page 10 for more info).<\/li>\n
- I smoke. (If you do, you are two to four times more likely to develop heart disease than a nonsmoker.)<\/li>\n
- I have high blood pressure.<\/li>\n
- I use recreational drugs, such as cocaine.<\/li>\n
- I\u2019m under a lot of stress (at work and\/or at home).<\/li>\n
- I drink more than two alcoholic drinks every day.<\/li>\n
- I drink a lot of coffee (not decaf) or other caffeinated beverages.<\/li>\n
- I have diabetes. (More than 80 percent of people with diabetes die of some kind of CVD.)<\/li>\n
- I\u2019m taking prescription medications that affect blood pressure. This includes Ritalin (drugs for Attention Deficit\/Hyperactivity Disorder), steroids, migraine medications, any over-the-counter drugs that contain the ingredient pseudoephedrine, and any medication that contains stimulants such as caffeine.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Minimizing Your Risks<\/strong><\/h3>\nNaturally, there\u2019s nothing you can do to change your age, family history, or ethnic background. However, you can do plenty about the other risk factors\u2014either on your own or in concert with your healthcare provider.<\/p>\n
\n- Quit smoking. Smokers are much more likely than non-smokers to suffer heart attacks and strokes and far more likely to die as a result.<\/li>\n
- Check your blood pressure. Diagnosing high blood pressure is easy\u2014all you have to do is have it checked by your healthcare provider or on your own (blood pressure monitors are widely available).<\/li>\n
- Watch your cholesterol. A provider will have to order the test, but you should keep an eye on your numbers: Total cholesterol should be under 200; HDL (the \u201cgood\u201d kind) should be over 40, LDL (the \u201cbad\u201d kind) should be under 100; the triglycerides should be under 150.<\/li>\n
- Eat right and get to a healthy weight. This means reducing sugars, red meats, and highly processed foods; and increasing fruits, veggies, beans, nuts, and whole grains.<\/li>\n
- Exercise. Try for 30 minutes every day, but only after checking with your provider to make sure you\u2019re healthy enough.<\/li>\n
- Chill. We all feel stressed sometimes, but too much stress for too long a time can cause serious\u2014and potentially deadly\u2014problems.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Finally, build a partnership with a healthcare provider. Getting baseline readings for blood pressure, cholesterol, PSA, and other markers could save your life. You\u2019ll find an excellent list of which tests you should have and when at\u00a0http:\/\/www.getitchecked.com. And you\u2019ll find addition information on cardiovascular disease from Men\u2019s Health Network at\u00a0https:\/\/www.menshealthnetwork.org\/library\/Heartbeat.pdf.<\/p>\n
This article first appeared on HealthyMenToday.com<\/em><\/p>\nPhoto by\u00a0Gabin Vallet\u00a0on\u00a0Unsplash<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n