What are the risk factors for coronary atherosclerosis and heart disease?
Well-known risk factors for coronary atherosclerosis and heart attacks are: • Elevated levels of LDL cholesterol (the “bad” cholesterol) in the blood; • Family history of early coronary heart disease, including a heart attack or sudden death before age 55 in the father or other male first-degree relative, or before age 65 in the mother or other female first-degree relative; • Cigarette smoking; • Diabetes mellitus; • High blood pressure; • Low levels of HDL (the “good” cholesterol) in the blood; and • Sedentary lifestyle. Less recognized but just as important risk factors for coronary atherosclerosis are: • A preponderance of small LDL cholesterol particles in the blood. LDL cholesterol particles come in different sizes. The size of a person’s LDL cholesterol particles is predominantly genetically inherited. The smaller LDL cholesterol particles are far more dangerous in causing atherosclerosis than the larger particles. The smaller LDL particles can penetrate the walls of the arteries
