Factors that increase the risk of CVD:

1. High Blood Pressure:

If you have high blood pressure, the increased pressure of blood flowing
through your arteries gradually can cause Artery damage and narrowing.
High blood pressure can damage the cells of your arteries' inner lining. This
leads to arteriosclerosis; hardening of the arteries. Fats from your diet enter
your bloodstream, pass through the damaged cells and collect to start
atherosclerosis. These changes can affect arteries throughout your body,
blocking blood flow to your heart, kidneys, brain, arms and legs.

2. Tobacco use:
Whether it is smoking or chewing tobacco, increases risks of cardiovascular
disease. The risk is especially high if you started smoking when young,
smoke heavily or you are a woman. Passive smoking is also a risk factor for
cardiovascular disease. Stopping tobacco use can reduce your risk of
cardiovascular disease significantly, no matter how long you have smoked.

3. High blood cholesterol:
When there is too much cholesterol in your blood, it builds up in the walls
of your arteries, causing a process called atherosclerosis, a form of heart
disease. The arteries become narrowed and blood flow to the heart
muscle is slowed down or blocked. The blood carries oxygen to the heart,
and if enough blood and oxygen cannot reach your heart, you may suffer
chest pain. If the blood supply to a portion of the heart is completely cut
off by a blockage, the result is a heart attack.

4. Obesity:
Obesity is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease and is associated
with insulin resistance. Weight loss can improve cardiovascular risk,
decrease insulin concentration and increase insulin sensitivity. Obesity
and insulin resistance also have been associated with other risk factors,
including high blood pressure.
What Science Proves
Smoking
Two main contributors of tobacco smoke
which increases the likelihood of heart
disease:
Carbon monoxide
Nicotine
Carbon Monoxide
Combines irreversibly with haemoglobin in the
red blood cells.
This reduces the capacity of oxygen the red
blood cell can carry
This will remain in the red blood cell through out
the whole lifespan of the red blood cell. (approx.
120 days)
This could lead to an insufficient supply of
oxygen to the heart during exercise and even
every day life.


Nicotine
It stimulates the production of adrenaline- which in
turn increases heart rate and blood pressure
Increases risk of CHD as your heart is being strained to
keep up with this demanded- can cause strokes, heart
attacks and even death if the heart is overworked
Nicotine also makes Red blood cells more sticky-
meaning theyre more likely to stick blood vessels and
cause clotting- narrowing the artery and making it
more difficult for blood circulation as well as starving
the heart of oxygen and nutrients.
Diet
Numerous aspects of your diet which increase risk of
heart disease- both directly and indirectly.
You could have extremely salty food which increases
salt levels; resulting in a raised blood pressure.
(Straining the heart and also putting pressure on the
blood vessels- often damaging them)
Also, you could have extremely fatty food which
increases the fat level in your body. This increases the
amount of bad cholesterol in your body and hence
blood cholesterol also increases. Similarly to the above,
people damage and clog blood vessels as well as
deprive the heart muscle of nutrients and oxygen.

Exercise
Exercise can also contribute to CHD
Mixed with a poor diet; it can lead to a rise in
bad cholesterol which results in blood not
being able to circulate around your body
properly. This means simple movements can
become strained as blood cannot circulate
around your body properly- hence oxygen
and nutrients are not being circulated around
the body.

How science has effected people
Risk Effect
Smoking People have given up smoking
Reduced the amount they smoke
Dont pass on secondary smoke- or try to prevent it
Diet People have changed their diet
Ensure they have a balanced meal
Eat healthier- more fruit and veg
Have less fatty food which can result in an increase
in cholesterol
Exercise People do more exercise
Ensure they try and do a bit a day
Some may also chose to change the way they travel
(e.g. bus instead of car)