Health Risks Coronary Artery Disease
Based on your genetics, your genetic predisposition for Coronary Artery Disease is
What does this mean?
Your genotypes indicate that you have a typical risk for coronary artery disease (CAD). Maintain a healthy diet and lifestyle to reduce the risk of CAD.
How Is Your Genetic Risk Calculated?
20.53
This result is based on the SNPs(single nucleotide polymorphism)that are associated with Coronary Artery Disease.
Risk Factors Can Influence The Risk of Developing Coronary artery disease
Genetics are NOT the only risk factor for Coronary Artery Disease.
Coronary Artery Disease is believed to be caused by a combination of environmental, genetic and lifestyle factors. Now that you have learnt about your genetic risk, you can determine how aggressively you need to make lifestyle changes to reduce your risk.
The earlier in your life that you commit to living a healthy lifestyle, the more you can reduce your risk for or delay the development of Coronary Artery Disease.
Age
Plaque builds up over time as you age. This can only be slowed down. Thus, individuals over the age of 40 are at a higher risk of CAD.
Gender
Men are at a higher risk of CAD compared to women.
Family History
Individuals with parents who suffer from CADs are at a higher risk of CAD development. This is because genetics associated with CAD development are heritable.
Obesity
Overweight and obese individuals have a higher risk of CAD. This is due to the increased triglyceride and cholesterol levels present in the blood as well as reduced fat metabolism.
Active Level
Physically inactive individuals are at a high risk of CAD. This is because cardiovascular health and performance are much lower in inactive individuals.
Suggested Lifestyle Changes
Dietary Recommendations:
- A diet low in fat (<10% of the total amount of calories), low in salt, low in cholesterol (<300 mgorday), low in calories, and high in fiber (>20 gorday) can help to reduce the risk of coronary artery disease.
- Limit the intake of butter, lard (when cooking), baked goods, and sugary beverages.
- Consume low-fat milk and dairy products, lean meat, and salt-free seasoning.
- Reduce consumption of canned food which have high salt Excessive salt intake increases blood pressure which can damage the blood vessels.
- Consume more nuts such as almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, pistachios, pine nuts, cashews, pecans, macadamias, and Brazil nuts - they are rich in unsaturated fats which are beneficial in preventing cardiovascular heart diseases.
- Soybeans are a good source of fiber, iron, calcium, zinc, and B vitamins. The consumption of soy products is also associated with a reduced risk of coronary heart disease.
- Diets that are high in raw vegetables and fruits can also help to reduce coronary artery disease risk. If possible, limit or avoid fried and breaded vegetables, canned vegetables which are high in sodium, as well as frozenorcanned fruits with added sugar.
Lifestyle Recommendations:
- Stop smoking to reduce the risk of coronary artery disease. Smoking causes excessive oxidative and tissue damage to the vascular system. This can dramatically accelerate plaque buildup and CAD.
- Avoid excessive alcohol consumption to reduce the risk of CAD progression. Avoid exceeding more than 2 servings of alcoholic beverages per day. However, studies have shown light alcohol consumption to be beneficial in stimulating a healthy heart function. A serving of wine a day is high in resveratrol, a potent antioxidant that can preserve healthy heart function.
- Aim to do more physical activities to increase cardiovascular and respiratory performance as well as improve body composition.
Result Explanation Recommendations:
- Maintain a healthy BMI.
- Individuals aged 18 - 64 years old are recommended to have at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activities per week. For example, brisk walking, dancing, biking, gardening, etc. Otherwise, aerobic exercises of vigorous intensity can be done for 75 minutes per week. For example, fast swimming, running, climbing up a hill, basketball, etc.
- Individuals aged 65 years old and above can opt for exercises to improve flexibility, strength, and balance.