SPEAKER 1:
Atherosclerotic cardiovascular
disease, ASCVD for short,
can be caused
by unhealthy levels
of bad cholesterol or LDL
that form plaques on the walls
of your arteries
and make them
narrow and hardened.
High levels of bad cholesterol,
or LDL cholesterol, can increase
the chances you're going
to develop blockages
in your arteries
and plaque will form inside
of your arteries,
very similar to the way
that plaque can form
on your teeth
if you don't brush your teeth.
But there are a lot
of other factors
that also contribute
to development of ASCVD,
such as high blood pressure,
diabetes, obesity, lack
of exercise, and smoking.
Over time, plaque can build up
inside of your arteries
and can slow or even block blood
flow and oxygen coming
from your heart
to the rest of your body.
This can lead to development
of chest pains,
or in a worst case scenario,
can lead to heart
attacks or even a stroke.
SPEAKER 2: In the US,
there are over 800,000 heart
attacks each year,
one every 40 seconds.
SPEAKER 1: ASCVD can be genetic,
which means you may have
inherited some risk
for development of artery
blockages from your parents.
Now there's not a lot that you
can do with regard
to your family history,
but fortunately, there are
several lifestyle changes
that you can make to lower
your risk.
Number one, quit smoking.
Smoking is a known leading cause
of ASCVD because it damages
the lining of your arteries
and make it much more likely
that you will develop a blockage
in a heart artery.
Number two, a healthy diet.
One easy way to reduce your risk
is to change your diet.
It's important to eliminate
high fatty foods
such as greasy foods,
fried foods, burgers, pizza,
foods
that are very high in sugar
content, and eliminate processed
foods.
Instead, you should try and mix
in healthier alternatives
such as fruits, vegetables,
nuts, and whole grains.
Number three, exercise.
Exercising is extremely
important.
The American Heart Association
recommends that you exercise
for 150 minutes per week
at a moderate level
of intensity.
It's probably easier to think
about this as obtaining
30 minutes of moderate intensity
exercise five days a week.
That can include things
such as biking or power walking
or swimming.
They also recommend
that if possible, you obtain
75 minutes of strenuous exercise
such as going for a run, power
lifting, and strength training.
SPEAKER 2: ASCVD is manageable,
and these three steps will go
a long way in lowering your risk
of a heart attack or stroke.
If you have also been diagnosed
with diabetes,
you need to be even more
careful.
SPEAKER 1: Diabetes is
a major risk factor
for atherosclerotic
cardiovascular disease,
and it also greatly increases
the chance that your blockages
in your arteries will increase.
It is extremely
important, if you have diabetes
and ASCVD, that you follow up
very closely with your doctors
to make sure that the diabetes
is very well controlled.
SPEAKER 2: ASCVD is
a long-term challenge.
And while these lifestyle
changes will provide
significant benefits,
you'll still need to monitor
your progress along the way.
SPEAKER 1: It's very important
that you make
sure that your cholesterol
levels are rechecked regularly,
and that your other risk factors
for cardiovascular disease
are all controlled.
If you do this, there's
a good chance that we can keep
away a lot of the complications
that often occur
with atherosclerotic
cardiovascular disease.