34. The Big Picture of Heart Disease
Heart disease is a leading cause of death in the United States, and
a major problem throughout the industrialized world. Despite the
abundance of low-fat and low-cholesterol foods and diets, the num-
bers of new cases, and deaths, keep growing.
Chronic inflammation may be the most common cause of heart
disease. If you have chronic inflammation, your risk for having a heart
attack is doubled. Studies show that the more inflammation — as indi-
cated with a simple blood test (C-reactive protein as discussed in the
previous chapter) — the greater your risk of having a heart attack. In
fact, each of the many stages of cardiovascular disease is associated
with inflammatory factors. In addition, there is a strong association
between chronic inflammation and other cardiovascular problems
including sudden cardiac death, peripheral arterial disease, stroke
and other conditions.
Of course, other unhealthy lifestyle factors significantly increase
the risk of heart disease. These include smoking, being overfat, hyper-
tension and others. Diabetes, an end-stage problem of carbohydrate
intolerance, is a major risk factor. These problems, however, con-
tribute to heart disease because they also are associated with and/or
increase chronic inflammation. Aerobic exercise is also very important
for the heart; inactivity puts you at nearly as great a risk as smoking.
Cholesterol
One of the most misunderstood subjects related to heart disease is
cholesterol. Abnormally high levels of cholesterol can also be a risk
factor for heart disease, although your total cholesterol is not the best
— or only — measure for heart-disease risk. Many people who die of
heart disease have normal total cholesterol numbers, and many with
high cholesterol never develop heart disease.