Heart health: what are the cardiovascular risk factors?

By Cristiano Antonino Last updated Jun 18, 2023

Cardiovascular risk factors are generally related to cardiovascular diseases. These factors are divided into modifiable and non-modifiable risk factors

The first are those that can be changed: quitting smoking, following a correct diet, avoiding alcohol consumption, starting physical activity, etc., and/or pharmacological treatments, are all those ‘actions’ that make it possible to reduce the onset of pathologies.

The second are those that are impossible to change, i.e. all those pathologies and diseases linked to sex, age, heredity.

With advancing age, the likelihood of the onset of cardiovascular disease increases.

Studies have shown that there is a higher risk in men than in women, who, however, see an increased risk after the menopause.

Cardiovascular risk is more likely to occur in individuals who have had a family member already affected

Adopting positive behaviour does not exclude the occurrence of disease, just as not adopting positive behaviour does not imply its occurrence.

The presence of a risk factor does not necessarily cause disease, but its presence does increase the risk of its development and occurrence.

However, it must be said that age is not as much of a discriminating factor as the presence of pathologies, ‘bad’ habits and the presence of regressed cases in the family.

It is therefore necessary to know the cardiovascular risk to which each one of us is exposed, and to take action with tests and therapies by doing prevention to avoid running into serious cardiovascular events.

Cardiovascular risk is defined as the likelihood of the occurrence of an adverse episode in the next 10 years

With the first cardiological examination it is possible to make an estimate of the risk factors by defining which examinations are most appropriate and how often they should be performed.

In 2016, the European Society of Cardiology divided patients into four risk categories: low, medium, high and high.

It is recommended to repeat the risk assessment about every five years.

The main predisposing factors for cardiovascular disease are: hypercholesterolaemia (high cholesterol levels, which can be checked by means of blood tests), high blood pressure, smoking (smoking doubles the occurrence of cardiovascular disease), diabetes, family members diagnosed with cardiovascular disease at a young age: young age means under 55 for men and under 65 for women, obesity, sedentary lifestyle and inactivity, especially for long-term patients or patients who have been bedridden for weeks, psycho-social stress, chronic inflammatory and/or immune diseases, etc.

Each individual falls into a specific risk class, and depending on which risk class one is in, one must undergo tests and individualised treatment.

Patients considered to be at low risk will only receive encouragement to lead a healthy life of physical activity and proper nutrition.

Patients at high risk, who have conditions that predispose them to cardiovascular disease, must not only change their lifestyle, but also follow a pharmacological treatment to decrease their risk factors.

It is not uncommon for these patients to already be suffering from coronary diseases; diseases that may present asymptomatically, which is why it is advisable to undergo more in-depth tests (stress echocardiogram, physical or pharmacological, pharmacological stress MRI, coronary CT).

The risk indications do not go by age group but by level, which is why you should rely on your general practitioner or a cardiologist who will design a specific course for each patient.

It is advisable to make a visit every five years for women under 50 and men under 40.

Anyone who engages in physical activity, even competitively, must undergo an annual electrocardiogram and in some cases also a cardiological examination.

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