lifestyle Adults with diabetes have 2 to 4 times the risk of heart disease than those without diabetes. Careful control of your blood sugar is important. Uncontrolled hypertension not only raises your risk for heart attack, but also leads to congestive heart failure, stroke, and kidney disease. Having immediate family members with diagnosed heart disease at an age less than 60 may mean you have a genetic predisposition to develop this as well. Other genetic links include elevated cholesterol and diabetes. Foods rich in cholesterol and fat with a high carbohydrate count as well will add not only to your weight, but increase your risk of heart attack, stroke, and diabetes. Carrying too much extra weight not only impacts your heart health, it usually leads to severe arthritis of the knees and lower joints. Just 30 minutes of aerobic exercise 5 times a week will dramatically reduce your cardiovascular risk. Once you have been cleared by your doctor to do so, get out there and take control of your future health. Nicotine, the addictive drug in tobacco is a major cardiovascular risk factor. It doesn’t matter if you smoke it, dip it, chew it, or get in a patch, you are still raising your heart attack and stroke risk dramatically. Ask your doctor about various proven methods to help you quit. If you have been diagnosed with peripheral vascular disease (PVD or PAD) you carry a higher risk of cardiovascular disease as well. Often the PVD limits activity and thus masks the symptoms of cardiac disease. Know your cholesterol numbers. Ask your doctor about your “good” and your ‘bad” cholesterol. Both can impact your future health.