Risks
Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of illness and death
worldwide. The factors that increase its risk are well-known and
thoroughly researched. CVD is a complex outcome of the interaction among
dietary risks, environmental exposures, and heritability, like other
chronic diseases. Although risk factors increase the likelihood of
developing CVD, they cannot guarantee that an individual will have a
stroke or suffer a heart attack. Absence of developed risk factors does
not imply that a person will never develop CVD. The factors that
contribute to the development of cardiovascular disease include both
modifiable and non-modifiable risks.
| Modifiable Risk Factors | Non-Modifiable Risk Factors |
| Smoking | Race & Ethnicity |
| Diabetes Mellitus | Age |
| Physical Inactivity | Gender |
| High Cholesterol | Genetic Factors |
Although modifiable risk factors play a significant role in cardiovascular risk, there are also several non-modifiable factors that greatly affect it. These include genetic predisposition, advancing age, gender, as well as race or ethnicity. Understanding these variables and their ability to change is important in making informed lifestyle choices that promote cardiovascular prevention and treatment.