Half of all men who die suddenly of coronary heart disease have no previous symptoms.

This article will focus on the top concerns for American men and how these diseases can be identified and prevented prior to the occurrence of symptoms.

Heart disease is the #1 cause of death of American men. The term “heart disease” refers to several types of heart conditions. The most common type is coronary artery disease, which can cause a heart attack.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking are key risk factors for the disease. About half of Americans (47%) have at least one of these three risk factors. Other lifestyle factors that increase your risk of developing heart disease are diabetes, obesity, poor diet, physical inactivity, and excessive alcohol use.

While chest pain is the commonly accepted symptom of a heart attack due to heart disease, many other symptoms can also be present:

  • Upper body pain or discomfort in the arms, back, neck, jaw, or upper stomach
  • Shortness of breath
  • Nausea, lightheadedness, or cold sweats.

The rates of occurrence and survivability make heart disease a major concern for American men and their future health.

Can heart disease be prevented?

Lifestyle factors can drastically reduce your risk of heart disease.

Quit or do not start smoking.

Maintain a healthy weight.

Resources for maintaining your weight

Eat a healthy diet.

Resources for eating a healthy diet

Exercise regularly.

Resources for establishing an effective exercise routine

Prevent or treat high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes.

The best prevention of heart disease is to know the status of your risk factors before symptoms occur, or worse, you experience a heart attack.

Human Longevity’s integrated assessment incorporates a deep dive into your heart health, including a study of electrical activity through wireless heart rhythm monitoring and an electrocardiogram, calcific plaque disease detection through coronary calcium scoring, study of the structure and function of the heart through cardiac MRI and echocardiogram.

In addition to these phenotypic (or physical) measurements, many genes contribute to an increased risk of heart disease. Our whole genome sequencing is a genomic analysis that compares your genes with others who have the disease to identify your inherited risk.

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