Know Your Risk for Heart Disease Published Feb. 5, 2014 By Dana Crudo Health.mil FALLS CHURCH, Va., -- Although heart disease often manifests later in life in the form of heart attacks, it actually starts developing under the radar when people look young and healthy. This silent killer remains the leading cause of death in the United States for both men and women. More than 600,000 Americans die of heart disease each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Heart disease refers to several types of heart conditions, but the most common type is coronary artery disease. This happens when plaque builds up in the arteries that supply blood to the heart and narrows them, causing a host of health problems. This buildup begins at a surprisingly early age. "Heart disease is diagnosed in people in their late 40s, 50, 60s and 70s, but it doesn't start then," said Army Col Frederick Lough, deputy chairman of the Department of Surgery at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences and staff cardiac surgeon at the Walter Reed National Medical Center. "It started when they were in their 20s." "Many come into the military already with [plaque buildup],"Lough said. "Recognizing the importance of heart health is critical for the individual and the military as a whole." He added that autopsy studies of young service members have proven that heart disease occurs at a very young age, making it critically important that service members of all ages know their risk for heart disease and take action to minimize it. "Every member of the military should have a sense of what their risk for heart disease is," he said. "Once this is established, there are things we can do to reduce risk." In honor of American Heart Month this February, service members and their families are encouraged to schedule regular heart health checkups to evaluate their risk for heart disease. Conditions or behaviors that increase the risk of having heart disease include: · High blood pressure · High cholesterol · Family history of heart disease · Smoking · High fat, high salt diet · Physical inactivity · Obesity · Depression and Stress A checkup should consider each of these risk factors. The military health system offers several convenient ways for service members and their families to get assessed. Service members are required to complete a periodic health assessment that includes annual cardiovascular risk factors screening, cholesterol testing and blood pressure testing. TRICARE covers clinicalpreventative services, including routine screening for high blood pressure and cholesterol, for all beneficiaries. TRICARE recently published a heart health guide to help beneficiaries reduce their risk for heart disease and adopt heart healthy habits. Additionally, the American Heart Association offers a free online heart attack risk assessment. Once people know their risk factors, they can take action to control them and protect their heart, said Patrice Desvigne-Nickens, M.D., medical officer at the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.This includes quitting smoking, exercising, eating a healthy diet, managing stress and depression and maintaining an ideal weight. "You are never too young or too old to take charge of your health and minimize your risk for heart disease," Desvigne-Nickens said. "You are worth it."