“Meet the Press” & Heart Disease Risk Factors

Every Sunday morning I watched with great pleasure as Tim Russert did his thing on “Meet the Press.” In my opinion he was the best TV journalist who gave unbiased and informative interviews on current political topics and I am deeply saddened by his recent death from Heart disease. In many ways, Closing the Gap in Health Care, Inc. does the same thing when it comes to educating people about health issues. In that respect I want to explain what it means to have risk factors for heart disease. Risk factors are attributes that one has that may lead to the development of a certain disease. Risk factors for heart disease are well documented. Some risk factors are more difficult to eliminate than others when it comes to heart disease or stroke. Risks factors for heart disease are age, race, gender, lack of a healthy life style such as exercise, and a healthy diet. Obesity is also a major risk factor. If your waist size is 40 inches (men) and 35 inches (women), you have the risk factor for heart disease. Low good cholesterol, very high bad cholesterol and a high triglyceride level are also important risk factors. Uncontrolled diabetes is associated more with Stroke than Heart attack as has been reported recently. Uncontrolled hypertension is also a major risk factor for heart attack and stroke. Patients should know that when these factors are controlled a fatal heart is less likely, but not totally eliminated. The take home point for all people is to decrease the risk factors when and where you can and remember the rest is in God’s Hands. Talk to your physician about your risk factors.

I am Dr. Thaddeus John Bell --- Closing the Gap in Health Disparities for African Americans and The Underserved.

Copyright June 2008
Bell Update Volume 3, Chapter 23