Two entertainment legends — heavy metal icon Ozzy Osbourne and wrestling star Hulk Hogan — recently died within a couple of days of each other. Both died of heart attacks in their 70s.
While the news was undeniably tragic for their families and fans, their cause of death was a common one. Heart attacks typically stem from heart disease, which is the No. 1 cause of death in the United States.
As we have reported:
“A range of conditions that affect the heart all fall under the heading of heart disease. These include coronary artery disease, irregular heartbeats known as ‘arrhythmias’ and congenital heart defects that impact people from birth.”
In fact, in Osbourne’s case, the connection to heart disease has been confirmed: His death certificate listed coronary artery disease as a secondary cause of death.
Because heart disease is so common, it is important to know your risk of being diagnosed with the illness. The American College of Cardiology offers a free online calculator that can help you gauge this risk.
The calculator is called “ASCVD Risk Estimator Plus.” (ASCVD is short for “atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.”)
After you input some basic information about your health, this tool can give you a 10-year risk score that estimates your chances of developing heart disease in the next decade. This score will indicate whether your risk is:
- Low (less than 5%)
- Borderline (5% to 7.4%)
- Intermediate (7.5% to 19.9%)
- High (20% or more)
You can also get a score that estimates your lifetime risk of heart disease.
To use the calculator, you will need to know your blood pressure and most recent cholesterol numbers, which might require you to contact your doctor.
Sadly, it’s impossible to eliminate your risk of getting heart disease. Factors such as advanced age or a family history of heart disease can’t be helped. But there are steps you can take to reduce your risk.
Eating a more healthful diet and exercising regularly can go a long way. Specifically, the American College of Cardiology recommends that everyone do the following to lower their risk of heart disease:
- Eat more vegetables, fruits, legumes, nuts, whole grains and fish.
- Consume less cholesterol and sodium.
- Replace saturated fats (which are most commonly found in meat and dairy) with mono-unsaturated fats (found in foods like olive oil, avocados and almonds) and poly-unsaturated fats (found in foods like salmon and walnuts).
- Limit consumption of trans fats, processed meats, refined carbohydrates and sweetened beverages.
- Get a total of at least 150 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise or 75 minutes per week of vigorous aerobic exercise.
If applicable to you, changes such as quitting smoking, losing weight, reducing stress, and keeping your blood pressure and blood sugar under control also can reduce your risk of heart disease.
If you use the calculator and find that your risk level is high, it might be time to consult with your physician. A doctor can use tools — including blood tests, an electrocardiogram and an exercise stress test — to get a better picture of your heart health.
Add a Comment