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The major preventable risk factors for heart disease are tobacco smoking, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, overweight, insufficient physical activity, high alcohol use and type 2 diabetes. Risk is higher for males than for females and strongly increases with age for both males and females.
The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare provides information on risk factors for heart disease in several publications including:
For other related AIHW publications on heart disease see the AIHW Cardiovascular Disease Subject Area.
Follow the links below to find information relating to risk factors for heart disease.
Reviewed October 2007
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| Title: |
Fats and oils
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| Publisher: |
Better Health Channel
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| Description: |
Dietary fats are classified by their structure. Different types of fats react differently inside the body. Saturated fats (found mostly in animal products) increase blood cholesterol, which is a risk factor in coronary heart disease. Mono-unsaturated and polyunsaturated fats tend to lower blood cholesterol.
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| Date: |
Feb 2008
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| Title: |
Heart disorders (acquired) children
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| Publisher: |
Better Health Channel
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| Description: |
Some children develop a heart problem after an illness. This is called an acquired heart defect. The four main types of acquired heart defect are Kawasaki disease, myocarditis, cardiomyopathy and rheumatic heart disease.
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| Date: |
Oct 2007
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| Title: |
Chest pain
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| Publisher: |
Better Health Channel
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| Description: |
Chest pain may be a sign of a heart attack. However, there are other causes of chest pain including indigestion and muscle strain. If in doubt, call an ambulance.
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| Date: |
Oct 2007
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| Title: |
Heart disease when you're fit and healthy
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| Publisher: |
Better Health Channel
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| Description: |
Some people are lean, active and healthy and yet they still suffer from heart disease. Cholesterol levels that are normal for most people may be too high for others. While we can't change genetic factors, researchers are trying to understand why people react differently to the same situations.
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| Date: |
Oct 2007
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| Title: |
Heart disease - risk factors explained
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| Publisher: |
Better Health Channel
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| Description: |
Heart disease is common and there are many 'risk factors', or things which contribute to the development of this condition. Common risk factors include, raised cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, smoking, diabetes, obesity, family history and age.
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| Date: |
Oct 2007
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| Title: |
Birth defects - heart abnormalities
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| Publisher: |
Better Health Channel
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| Description: |
Birth defects are found in approximately one in every 100 babies born in Australia. This is called a congenital heart defect (CHD). Some defects are serious and may require medication and surgery. Congenital heart defects include ventricular septal defect, transposition of the great vessels, coarctation of aorta, tetralogy of Fallot and hypoplastic left heart syndrome.
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| Date: |
Oct 2007
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| Title: |
Heart disease risk - quiz
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| Publisher: |
Better Health Channel
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| Description: |
What is your risk of heart disease? Our quick health quiz can help assess your risk and provide tips on healthy living, diet and exercise to improve your heart health.
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| Date: |
Sep 2007
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| Title: |
Heart disease - enlarged heart
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| Publisher: |
Better Health Channel
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| Description: |
An enlarged heart isn't a condition in itself, but a symptom of an underlying disorder that is causing the heart to work harder than normal, such as coronary heart disease.
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| Date: |
Aug 2007
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| Title: |
Smoking and heart disease
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| Publisher: |
Better Health Channel
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| Description: |
Cigarette smoking is a major cause of heart attack, stroke and peripheral arterial disease. Smoking kills more than 19,000 Australians a year or more than 50 Australians each day. Nearly 40 per cent of all people who die from smoking tobacco do so due to heart and blood vessel disease.
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| Date: |
Aug 2007
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| Title: |
Heart health
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| Publisher: |
The Jean Hailes Foundation for Women's Health
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| Description: |
Cardiovascular disease is disease of either the heart or major blood vessels (arteries) supplying the heart, brain or other parts of the body. In Australia it is the number one killer of both men and women. This year more than 26,000 women are likely to die from cardiovascular disease with heart attack and stroke being the major causes. In younger age groups men have a greater risk of suffering a heart attack than do women. However, after menopause women's risk of heart disease increases and approaches that of men.
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| Date: |
Apr 2007
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| Title: |
Multiple risk factor interventions for primary prevention of coronary heart disease
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| Publisher: |
John Wiley and Sons, Ltd. for The Cochrane Collaboration
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| Description: |
Primary prevention programmes for cardiovascular diseases in many countries attempt to reduce mortality and morbidity due to coronary heart disease through risk factor modification. It is widely believed that multiple risk factor intervention using coun...
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| Date: |
Aug 2006
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| Title: |
Heart disease: reduce the risk
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| Publisher: |
myDr
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| Description: |
You can reduce your risk of heart disease by following a few sensible steps. Here's how.
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| Date: |
Jul 2006
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| Title: |
Eggs
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| Publisher: |
Healthy Eating Club
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| Description: |
For many decades, eggs have been perceived as somewhat unhealthy due to their cholesterol levels. Consumers assumed that the potential for ill-health coming from eggs was science based and it was in part.
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| Date: |
Jun 2006
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| Title: |
Heart murmurs
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| Publisher: |
myDr
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| Description: |
Heart murmurs are heard between heartbeats if the blood flow through the heart becomes turbulent.
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| Date: |
May 2006
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| Title: |
Cholesterol: what's your target?
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| Publisher: |
myDr
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| Description: |
Measuring the levels of 'good' and 'bad' cholesterol can give an indicator of your cardiovascular health.
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| Date: |
Apr 2006
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| Title: |
Heart health and anger
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| Publisher: |
myDr
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| Description: |
People who get angry easily are up to 3 times more likely to have a heart attack than their more placid counterparts, according to research in the USA.
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| Date: |
Oct 2004
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| Title: |
Heart attack - Albie's story
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| Publisher: |
Better Health Channel
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| Description: |
Albie has experienced two heart attacks. His first occurred in his 60s and led to his retirement from a stressful job. Tell me about your first heart attack.
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| Date: |
Dec 2003
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| Title: |
Smoking cessation for the secondary prevention of coronary heart disease
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| Publisher: |
John Wiley and Sons, Ltd. for The Cochrane Collaboration
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| Description: |
Smoking is harmful for the heart and circulation. People who have had a heart attack or cardiac surgery are at increased risk of further life-threatening heart problems, including death from heart attack. The review found strong evidence that quitting s...
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| Date: |
Aug 2003
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| Title: |
High blood pressure
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| Publisher: |
myDr
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| Description: |
Hypertension (high blood pressure) is a major factor in strokes, heart attacks and kidney disease.
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| Date: |
Mar 2003
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