✅ High blood pressure or cholesterol
Major contributors to plaque buildup
✅ Diabetes or prediabetes
Damages blood vessels over time
✅ Smoking or vaping
Narrows arteries and raises heart rate
✅ Sedentary lifestyle
Reduces cardiovascular fitness
Talk to your doctor about your 10-year heart disease risk score — tools like the ASCVD calculator can guide prevention.
How Doctors Diagnose Early Heart Disease
If you’re experiencing symptoms, your provider may recommend:
✅ Blood tests
Cholesterol, blood sugar, inflammation markers (like hs-CRP)
✅ Electrocardiogram (ECG/EKG)
Heart rhythm and electrical activity
✅ Echocardiogram
Heart structure and pumping strength
✅ Stress test
How your heart performs under exertion
✅ Coronary calcium scan
Detects plaque in arteries (for select patients)
Early detection saves lives — don’t wait for a crisis.
❌ Debunking the Myths
❌ “Only older men get heart disease”
False — it’s the #1 killer of women too
