• More than 95 percent of those who die from heart disease have at least one of its risk factors.
• Eighty to 90 percent of those who develop symptoms of heart disease have at least one major risk factor
• Women tend to have more major risk factors than men
• Those with risk factors for heart disease live 6 – 10 years less than those without risk factors.
• Researchers estimate that 90 percent of Americans are at risk for heart disease.
• Heart disease risk is worse when the risk factor is worse. For example, the higher the high blood pressure, the greater the risk for heart disease.
• Leading a healthy lifestyle can lower heart disease risk by 82 percent. In most cases, this means following a heart-healthy eating plan, getting regular physical activity, maintaining a healthy weight, and not smoking."
• Those without major heart disease risk factors are unlikely to develop heart disease
• Dr. Barbara Alving, acting director of the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) says, "The only way we can fight the epidemic of heart disease in the United States is by taking these risk factors seriously."

Take our Heart Disease Risk Assessment to determine your level of risk and ways to reduce that risk.

• 10 year risk for having a heart attack. NIH assessment: http://hin.nhlbi.nih.gov/atpiii/calculator.asp