Heart disease includes any disorder of the  heart and affects millions of Americans each year.  It is the leading cause of death among both men and women.  Every year about 785, 000 Americans have their first heart attack, and another 470,000 who have already had a heart attack have another one.  By living a healthy lifestyle, heart disease can be highly preventable.  Click here to view a graphic that shows the common types of heart disease, risk factors and ways to lower your risk.

Excess salt can lead to excess fluid retention in the blood, which can increase blood pressure. A recent report in the New England Journal of Medicine concludes that if everyone in the United States consumed half a teaspoon less of salt every day, the number of new cases of coronary heart disease, stroke, heart attacks and related deaths would drop significantly every year. Read more.

High cholesterol greatly increases the risk for heart disease and heart attacks. Following simple nutrition and fitness guidelines and getting a cholesterol blood test every five years beginning at age 20 can help manage cholesterol build up in the body and prevent a heart attack. Learn about what you can do to manage your own cholesterol levels.