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Tips on Preventing Heart Disease from the American Academy of Family Physicians

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, February 11, 2002

Contact:
Adam Lee
American Academy of Family Physicians
(800) 274-2237 Ext. 5221
alee@aafp.org

LEAWOOD, Kan. — Heart disease is the leading cause of death among men aged 45 and older and among women age 55 and older. The biggest factors that contribute to heart disease are smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, family history (a close relative with heart disease before age 55) and age.

Although nothing can be done about one’s family history or age, changes can be made to the other risk factors:

Quit smoking — Smoking more than doubles the risk of a heart attack for both men and women. One year after quitting smoking, the excess risk of heart disease is half that of a smoker’s;
Keep blood pressure under control — Lose weight, exercise, quit smoking and reduce salt intake to help modify blood pressure;
Control cholesterol levels — Diet and exercise are key to lowering cholesterol levels. Limit cholesterol and fat intake;
Exercise — The heart is a muscle and needs regular exercise to stay healthy. Aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, jogging or biking, gives the heart the best workout. Exercise can prevent heart disease and many other health problems;
Maintain a healthy weight — Being overweight puts extra strain on the heart and blood vessels;
Maintain a healthy diet — A healthy diet is high in fiber and low in fat. Each day, individuals should try to eat six to 11 servings of bread, rice and pasta, two to four servings of fresh fruit, three to five servings of vegetables, two to three servings of non-fat milk, low-fat yogurt and low-fat or non-fat cheese, and two to three servings of lean meat, poultry, fish, dry beans and egg whites.

Take time to evaluate lifestyle, family history and general health. Armed with this information, an individual and their family physician can assess the risk for heart disease and make a plan to avoid potential problems.

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Founded in 1947, the AAFP represents more than 93,000 physicians and medical students nationwide. It is the only medical society devoted solely to primary care.

Nearly one in four of all office visits are made to family physicians. That is 215 million office visits each year – nearly 48 million more than the next medical specialty. Today, family physicians provide the majority of care for America’s underserved and rural populations.

In the increasingly fragmented world of health care where many medical specialties limit their practice to a particular organ, disease, age or sex, family physicians are dedicated to treating the whole person across the full spectrum of ages. Family medicine’s cornerstone is an ongoing, personal patient-physician relationship focused on integrated care.

To learn more about the American Academy of Family Physicians and about the specialty of family medicine, please visit www.aafp.org.

For more information about the AAFP's positions on issues and clinical care and downloadable multi-media on family medicine and health care, visit the AAFP Media Center.

For more information about health care, health conditions, and wellness, please visit familydoctor.org.