Attention, chocolate lovers: You may not be able to help yourselves. Swiss and British scientists have linked the widespread love of chocolate to a chemical "signature" that may be programmed into our metabolic systems.
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Coronary Risk Factors
Overview & Description
Coronary risk factors are those conditions or diseases that increase a person's risk of developing coronary heart disease, or CHD. Someone with CHD has a blockage in the arteries that supply blood, oxygen, and nutrients to the heart.
What is the information for this topic?
CHD is the number one cause of death in many developed countries. It is also associated with a higher risk of:
People who already have CHD and those who have certain conditions called CHD "risk equivalents" are at the greatest risk of having a major heart-related problem. A person with CHD risk equivalents has the same level of risk for a major heart-related problem as someone who already has heart disease. These conditions include:
A person's risk of developing CHD within 10 years is determined by using information from the Framingham Heart Study. This 10-year risk is calculated from a formula that looks at the following:
The ATP III guidelines identify low-density lipoprotein, or LDL, cholesterol as a key factor in lowering a person's risk for CHD. Therefore, a person's LDL level is a key part of the coronary risk profile.
Attribution
Author:Adam Brochert, MD
Date Written:
Editor:Crist, Gayle P., MS, BA
Edit Date:06/14/01
Reviewer:Eileen McLaughlin, RN, BSN
Date Reviewed:06/11/01
Sources
Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 1998, Fauci et al.
Cecil's Textbook of Medicine, 1996, Bennett et al.