CHD is the leading cause of the death in the United States for men and women. coronary heart disease is caused by buildup of plaque inthe arteries in your heart. This may also be caled hardening of the arteries.
- Fatty the material and other subtances from a plaque build-up on the walls of your coronary arteries. The coronary arteries bring blood and oxygen to your heart.
- This build-up causes the arteries to get narrow.
- As a result, blood flow to the heart can slow down or stop.
The risk factors for heart disease that you cannot change are:
- Your age, the risk of heart disease increase your age.
- Your gender, men have a higher risk of getting heart disease than women who are still getting their menstrual period,. After menopause, the risk for women is closer the risk for men.
- Your genes, if your parents or other close relatives had heart disease, you are at higher risk.
- Your race, Africans American, Mexican Americans, American Hindians, Hawaians and some Asian Americans as also higher at risk for heart problems.