The top 3 illnesses that increase your risk of getting heart disease

Risk of heart disease may increase with chronic illnesses such as high blood pressure and diabetes mellitus.

When it comes to heart disease, there are many risk factors involved. Some, such as family history, age and ethnicity, are beyond our control. Some require lifestyle changes. Yet other risk factors can be medically managed, as in the case of chronic diseases.

Dr Nadira Hamid, Associate Consultant, Department of Cardiology, National Heart Centre Singapore (NHCS), a member of the SingHealth group, explains how high blood pressure (hypertension), type 2 diabetes (diabetes mellitus) and high cholesterol are linked to heart disease, what puts you at risk of getting these conditions, and what you can do. 

Chronic illnesses that raise your heart disease risk

1. High blood pressure (hypertension)

High blood pressure (hypertension) refers to a blood pressure persistently above 140/90 mmHg. Known as a ‘silent killer’ as it’s a symptomless condition, hypertension is one of the major causes for coronary artery disease, stroke and bleeding in the brain.

If left untreated, high blood pressure may lead to long-term damage of organs such as the heart and blood vessels, leading to stroke, heart attack or renal failure. That’s why you should get your blood pressure checked at least once a year.

Causes of high blood pressure (hypertension)

Risk factors

To control high blood pressure:

2. Type 2 diabetes (diabetes mellitus)

Type 2 diabetes (diabetes mellitus) occurs when the body doesn’t make enough insulin or cannot properly use the insulin it produces. It’s the most common form of diabetes, with 90 to 95 per cent of all diabetes cases classified as type 2 diabetes. In Singapore, about 10 per cent of the population aged 18 to 69 has type 2 diabetes.

Studies have shown that having type 2 diabetes greatly increases your risk of heart disease.

Risk factors of type 2 diabetes

If these factors apply to you, you should pay special attention to the signs and symptoms of diabetes, which include:

To prevent type 2 diabetes:

3. High blood cholesterol (hyperlipidaemia)

Like hypertension, high blood cholesterol (hyperlipidaemia) hardly presents any symptoms. The two main types of cholesterol are:

When it comes to cholesterol, the key is to keep LDL cholesterol down while raising HDL cholesterol. Accumulation of too much ‘bad’ cholesterol in your blood can lead to a build-up of plaque in artery walls, causing a narrowing and hardening of blood vessels (atherosclerosis). This increases your likelihood of developing heart disease.

Risk factors of high blood cholesterol:

To lower your cholesterol:

Reproduced with permission from SingHealth’s HealthXChange, Singapore’s first interactive health and lifestyle resource portal. For more information, visit www.healthxchange.com.sg.

Also read:

5 Ways to Reduce Risk of Heart Disease

High Blood Pressure: Causes & Risk Factors