Cardiovascular disease
According to the American Heart Association,1
the following screening tests are recommended for optimal cardiovascular health.
Blood Pressure: Blood pressure is one of the most important screenings because high blood pressure usually has no symptoms so it can't be detected without being measured. High blood pressure greatly increases your risk of heart disease and stroke. If your blood pressure is below 120/80 mm Hg, be sure to get it checked at least once every two years, starting at age 20. If your blood pressure is higher, your doctor may want to check it more often. High blood pressure can be controlled through lifestyle changes or medication. After age 65, women have a higher risk of high blood pressure than men, and African-American adults of all ages have a higher-than-average risk.
Fasting Lipoprotein Profile (cholesterol and triglycerides) You should have a fasting lipoprotein profile taken every four to six years, starting at age 20. This is a blood test that measures total cholesterol, LDL (bad) cholesterol, HDL (good) cholesterol and triglycerides. (Learn more about cholesterol and triglyceride levels.) You may need to be tested more frequently if your healthcare provider determines that you're at an increased risk for heart disease or stroke. Older women tend to have higher triglyceride levels than men. Like high blood pressure, often cholesterol and triglycerides can be controlled through lifestyle changes or medication.
Body Weight Starting around 20 years old, your healthcare provider may ask for your waist circumference or use your body weight to calculate your body mass index (BMI) during your routine visit. These measurements may tell you and your physician whether you're at a healthy body weight and composition. About two of every three adults are now overweight or obese. Being obese puts you at higher risk for health problems such as heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, and more.
Blood Glucose High blood glucose levels put you at greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Starting at age 45, you should have your blood glucose level checked at least every three years. If you're overweight AND you have at least one additional cardiovascular risk factor, your doctor may recommend a blood glucose test even if you're not yet 45, or more frequently than every 3 years. Early detection of diabetes can help to prevent many serious medical problems, including heart disease and stroke. Higher than normal blood glucose levels, even without a diabetes diagnosis, can increase your risk of cardiovascular problems.
Physical Activity and Nutrition Being physically active and eating healthy foods, including fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, are key factors in promoting good cardiovascular health. Increasing your physical activity by even minutes a day can pay off with big results. If there's room for improvement in your diet and daily physical activity levels, ask your doctor to provide helpful suggestions.
Smoking Smoking increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and is the most important preventable cause of premature death in the United States. If you smoke, tell your doctor at your next healthcare visit.
Major Risk Factors That Can Be Modified, Treated, or Controlled
Other Factors To Consider
Blood Pressure: Blood pressure is one of the most important screenings because high blood pressure usually has no symptoms so it can't be detected without being measured. High blood pressure greatly increases your risk of heart disease and stroke. If your blood pressure is below 120/80 mm Hg, be sure to get it checked at least once every two years, starting at age 20. If your blood pressure is higher, your doctor may want to check it more often. High blood pressure can be controlled through lifestyle changes or medication. After age 65, women have a higher risk of high blood pressure than men, and African-American adults of all ages have a higher-than-average risk.
Fasting Lipoprotein Profile (cholesterol and triglycerides) You should have a fasting lipoprotein profile taken every four to six years, starting at age 20. This is a blood test that measures total cholesterol, LDL (bad) cholesterol, HDL (good) cholesterol and triglycerides. (Learn more about cholesterol and triglyceride levels.) You may need to be tested more frequently if your healthcare provider determines that you're at an increased risk for heart disease or stroke. Older women tend to have higher triglyceride levels than men. Like high blood pressure, often cholesterol and triglycerides can be controlled through lifestyle changes or medication.
Body Weight Starting around 20 years old, your healthcare provider may ask for your waist circumference or use your body weight to calculate your body mass index (BMI) during your routine visit. These measurements may tell you and your physician whether you're at a healthy body weight and composition. About two of every three adults are now overweight or obese. Being obese puts you at higher risk for health problems such as heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, diabetes, and more.
Blood Glucose High blood glucose levels put you at greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes. Starting at age 45, you should have your blood glucose level checked at least every three years. If you're overweight AND you have at least one additional cardiovascular risk factor, your doctor may recommend a blood glucose test even if you're not yet 45, or more frequently than every 3 years. Early detection of diabetes can help to prevent many serious medical problems, including heart disease and stroke. Higher than normal blood glucose levels, even without a diabetes diagnosis, can increase your risk of cardiovascular problems.
Physical Activity and Nutrition Being physically active and eating healthy foods, including fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, are key factors in promoting good cardiovascular health. Increasing your physical activity by even minutes a day can pay off with big results. If there's room for improvement in your diet and daily physical activity levels, ask your doctor to provide helpful suggestions.
Smoking Smoking increases the risk of cardiovascular disease and is the most important preventable cause of premature death in the United States. If you smoke, tell your doctor at your next healthcare visit.
Why It's Important
The key to preventing cardiovascular disease, also called coronary artery disease (CAD), is managing your risk factors, such as high blood pressure, high total cholesterol or high blood glucose. But how do you know which risk factors you have? The best way to find out is through screening tests during regular doctor visits.2How To Reduce Risk
Major Risk Factors That Can't Be Changed 3- Increasing Age: About 80 percent of people who die of coronary heart disease are 65 or older.
- Male Sex (gender): Men have a greater risk of heart attack than women do, and they have attacks earlier in life.
- Heredity (including race): Children of parents with heart disease are more likely to develop it themselves.
Major Risk Factors That Can Be Modified, Treated, or Controlled
- Tobacco Smoke: Smokers' risk of developing coronary heart disease is 2-4 times that of nonsmokers.
- High Blood Cholesterol: As LDL rises, so does risk of coronary heart disease.
- High Blood Pressure: High blood pressure increases the heart's workload, causing the arteries to thicken and become stiffer.
- Physical Inactivity: An inactive lifestyle is a risk factor for coronary heart disease.
- Obesity and Overweight: People who have excess body fat—especially at the waist—are more likely to develop heart disease and stroke.
- Diabetes: Diabetes increases your risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
Other Factors To Consider
- Stress: Individual response to stress may be a contributing factor.
- Alcohol: If you drink, limit your alcohol consumption to no more than two drinks per day for men and no more than one drink per day for women. Heavy drinking can increase risk of high blood pressure, obesity, stroke and other diseases.
- Diet and Nutrition: A healthy diet is one of the best weapons you have to fight cardiovascular disease.
How It's Tracked
- Screening and Prevalence: The Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) monitors the use of preventive screening for a variety of cardiovascular disease risk and protective factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cigarette smoking, and exercise. The BRFSS also tracks prevalence of coronary artery disease, heart attack, and stroke.
- Morbidity: The Hospital Inpatient Discharge Data system monitors inpatient hospital discharges, including hospitalization for heart disease and related conditions.
- Mortality: Death certificates are a fundamental source of demographic, geographic, and cause-of-death information. They make it possible to track every death in the nation due to cardiovascular disease. Deaths are reported as being due to cardiovascular disease when the cardiovascular disease was the underlying cause of death.
- Blood Cholesterol Screening
- Blood Cholesterol: Doctor-diagnosed High Cholesterol
- Blood Pressure: Doctor-diagnosed Hypertension
- Heart Attack: Hospitalizations
- Ischemic Heart Disease Deaths
- Stroke (Cerebrovascular Disease) Deaths
- Daily Fruit Consumption
- Daily Vegetable Consumption
- Obesity Among Adults
- Obesity Among Children and Adolescents
- Overweight or Obese
- Physical Activity Among Adolescents
- Physical Activity: Recommended Aerobic Activity Among Adults
- Physical Activity: Recommended Muscle-strengthening Among Adults
Cholesterol - Adults (BRFSS)
- Blood Cholesterol Screening - Crude Rates
- Blood Cholesterol Screening - Age-adjusted Rates
- Doctor-diagnosed High Cholesterol - Crude Rates
- Doctor-diagnosed High Cholesterol - Age-adjusted Rates
Blood Pressure - Adults (BRFSS)
- Doctor-diagnosed High Blood Pressure - Crude Rates
- Doctor-diagnosed High Blood Pressure - Age-adjusted Rates
Mortality:
- Coronary Heart Disease: Cause of Death - ICD-10 Codes I20-I25- Heart Disease: Cause of Death - NCHS 113 Leading Causes: Diseases of heart
- Stroke: Cause of Death - NCHS 50 Leading Causes: Cerebrovascular diseases
Hospitalizations:
Heart Attack: Diagnosis - NCHS 113 Leading Causes: Acute myocardial infarctionHealth Knowledge and Awareness - Adults (BRFSS)
- Know Signs and Symptoms of Heart Attack - Crude Rates
- Know Signs and Symptoms of Heart Attack - Age-adjusted Rates
- Know Signs and Symptoms of Heart Attack and Would Call 911 - Crude Rates
- Know Signs and Symptoms of Heart Attack and Would Call 911 - Age-adjusted Rates
- Know Signs and Symptoms of Stroke - Crude Rates
- Know Signs and Symptoms of Stroke - Age-adjusted Rates
- Know Signs and Symptoms of Stroke and Would Call 911 - Crude Rates
- Know Signs and Symptoms of Stroke and Would Call 911 - Age-adjusted Rates
Daily Fruit/Vegetable Consumption - Adults (BRFSS)
- Daily Fruit Consumption - Crude Rates
- Daily Fruit Consumption - Age-adjusted Rates
- Daily Vegetable Consumption - Crude Rates
- Daily Vegetable Consumption - Age-adjusted Rates
Overweight/Obese - Adults (BRFSS)
- Ideal, Overweight/Obese - Crude Rates
- Ideal, Overweight/Obese - Age-adjusted Rates
- Ideal, Overweight, or Obese - Crude Rates
- Ideal, Overweight, or Obese - Age-adjusted Rates
Overweight/Obese - Adolescents (YRBS)
Doctor-diagnosed Conditions - Adults (BRFSS)
- Ever Told You Have COPD - Crude Rates
- Ever Told You Have COPD - Age-adjusted Rates
- Ever Told You Have Kidney Disease - Crude Rates
- Ever Told You Have Kidney Disease - Age-adjusted Rates
- Ever Told You Have Had a Stroke - Crude Rates
- Ever Told You Have Had a Stroke - Age-adjusted Rates
- Ever Told You Have Angina/CHD - Crude Rates
- Ever Told You Have Angina/CHD - Age-adjusted Rates
- Ever Told You Have a Heart Attack/MI - Crude Rates
- Ever Told You Have a Heart Attack/MI - Age-adjusted Rates
- Ever Told You Had One of the Following: Stroke, Angina/CHD, or a Heart Attack/MI - Crude Rates
- Ever Told You Had One of the Following: Stroke, Angina/CHD, or a Heart Attack/MI - Age-adjusted Rates