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Risk Factors For Heart Failure

There are several important risk factors for heart failure.

First of all though, it’s important to note that the heart does in fact lose some blood-pumping ability over time.

Aging is not necessarily a risk factor, since it cannot be avoided and is a natural consequence of life. 

However, there are other risk factors for heart failure that can potentially cause a serious blood-pumping drop.

These are typically the same risk factors that are linked to heart disease.  They include: smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes/abnormal blood sugar, and being overweight/obese.

Probably the most important risk factor for heart failure to watch out for is hypertension.  Your chances of heart failure rise 200% when your blood pressure is not under control.  Also, a rise in blood pressure seems to directly increase risk.

Risk Factors For Heart Failure

Diabetes should also be a concern.  As a risk factor for heart failure, this disease can cause risk to increase by 2 to 8 times.  Women are at an even higher risk.  Not only does diabetes cause damage to the heart, it also is closely associated with hypertension, cholesterol, blood sugar and obesity. 

Risk factors for heart failure must be taken very seriously.  Loss of heart function can be a serious and life-threatening event.  And remember, although these factors increase the risk of heart failure, they do not necessarily cause heart failure.  The same applies vice-versa:  even with no risk factors for heart failure, it still may occur unexpectedly.

So stop smoking, get exercising and watch your diet.  Life isn’t a card game, you usually only get one heart.  Control the risk factors for heart failure, though, and you can probably get dealt a good hand.