Heart Disease Risk Factors
To have a healthy heart, it is critical to know the risk factors for heart disease—that is,
the behaviors or conditions that increase your chance of getting heart disease. They are:
 High blood pressure
 High blood cholesterol
 Diabetes
 Smoking
 Being overweight
 Being physically inactive
 Having a family history of early heart disease
 Age (55 or older for women)
 About 80% of midlife women (ages 40 to 60 years) have one or more risk factors
for heart disease. African American and Hispanic women, in particular have higher
rates of some risk factors for heart disease and are disproportionately affected by the
disease.
American Heart Association 2009