Coronary caution

Today, on World Heart Day, a look atu00a0 factors that make you susceptible tou00a0 heart disease. If you hit a century, that is no reason to smile

Practically everybody knows someone, a friend, relative, co-worker or neighbour who has battled coronary heart disease or had a heart attack. The common reaction to this is usually,u00a0 "No wonder he got a heart attack, he was very fat. One can also hear people say, he had diabetes or had hypertension or was a chain smoker". The finger is always pointing towards high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, smoking, high levels of cholesterol and a hectic lifestyle as the main causes of a heart attack.


From the heart: Actor Saif Ali Khan tries his hand at playing the
Guembri, a musical instrument in Morocco. Saif quit smoking after he
suffered a mild heart attack in 2007

However, other than these known risk factors, there are others.u00a0 Look at the chart on the extreme right of this page where risk factors are graded as per their severity.

Dr Girish Gadkari is a Mumbai-based obesity and cardiac lifestyle care consultant

Who should be careful about coronary risk factors and therefore make an extra effort to takeu00a0 precautions?
1.u00a0 If the parents (either) have suffered heart disease, irrespective of age.
2.u00a0 If either your brother or sister has suffered from heart disease, irrespective of age.
3.u00a0 If you score 100 or above in the chart on the right.
4.u00a0 If you have gained weight during childhood.
5.u00a0 If the abdominal girth (at the navel) is above 100 centimeters in males and above 90 centimeters in females. Girth is measured in a standing position minus the clothes. Measuring tape should be held in a strictly horizontal direction over the umbilicus.
6.u00a0 If you have systolic blood pressure more than 140 mm hg and diastolic blood pressure more than 100 mm hg.
7.u00a0 If your Fasting Blood Sugar is persistently high (over 140 mgm) and post lunch (2 hours after lunch) is more than 160 mgm.
8.u00a0 If your cholesterol and triglycerides are more than 210 mgm and 150 mgm respectively, with HDL Cholesterol (good cholesterol) lower than the standard minimum level (45 mgm per cent) and LDL (bad cholesterol) more than 150 mgmu00a0 per cent.
5, 6, 7, and 8 together are called Syndrome X or Metabolic syndrome.

Risk Factors For Coronary Heart Disease
Hypertensionu00a020u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
Diabetes Mellitusu00a020
Obesityu00a020u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0u00a0
Abnormal Lipid Profile/
High CHD Ratiou00a020
Smokingu00a020
Alcoholu00a020
Chewing Tobaccou00a020
Lack of Exerciseu00a010
Physical exertion in executing official/business dutiesu00a015
Physical exertion in executing routine household worku00a015
Mental Strain at Homeu00a010
Mental Strain at Social levelu00a05
Mental Set-Up - Self-Esteem (Self Centered/Egoistic)u00a05
Mental Set-Up - Isolation (Non-Communicative)u00a010
Mental Set-Up - Hostility (Type 'H' Personality)u00a010
Mental Set-Up - Hatredu00a010
Married Life - Frustrationu00a010
Relation with Spouse - Strainedu00a010
Relation with Spouse - Formalu00a05
TYPE 'A' PERSONALITYu00a020
Menopauseu00a015
Greed for Money/Careeru00a015

There are several inherited risk factors
Obesity (Inherited risk factor)u00a010
Diabetes (Inherited risk factor)u00a010
Coronary Heart Disease (Inherited risk factor)u00a010
Hypertension
(Inherited risk factor)u00a010

Add up points indicated against the risk factors. The more points you have, the higher the risk.
Low Risk: A total of less than 75 points indicates low risk.
Moderate Risk: Between 75 and 100 points
High Risk: Over 100 points.
I must emphasise that readers should not get complacent after adding up the points. The chart needs to be read in context. This does not mean that patients in moderate risk or high risk categories are bound to get a heart attack or patients in the low risk category will never get a heart attack. It only means that chances of getting an angina or heart attack are high in moderate risk and high risk categories as compared to those in the low risk category.