High blood pressure, smoking, diabetes and high blood cholesterol are the four most important risk factors for heart disease. A convenient way to estimate your risk of developing heart disease is to double each factor that applies to you. So, a person who has all of the risk factors is 16 times more likely to develop heart disease than someone who has none. People often think that diabetes is beyond their control, but they can sometimes "cure" themselves of this condition by losing weight and being more physically active. Obesity increases the likelihood of developing high blood cholesterol and high blood pressure, which increase your risk of heart disease. Physical inactivity increases your risk of heart attack. Regular exercise and good nutrition are essential to reducing high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol and excessive weight. People who exercise are also more likely to cut down or stop smoking.

A person with high blood pressure or high blood cholesterol may feel fine and look great; there are often no signs that anything is wrong until a stroke or heart attack occurs. To find out if you have high blood pressure or high blood cholesterol, you should be tested by a doctor, nurse, or other health professional.

A blood pressure of 140/90 mm Hg or greater is generally classified as high blood pressure. However, even blood pressures below 140/90 mm Hg can sometimes be a problem. People with blood pressures 120–139 for the top number and/or 80–89 for the bottom number have "pre-hypertension", and should have their blood pressure checked at least once a year by a health professional. The higher your blood pressure, the greater your risk of developing heart disease or stroke. Controlling high blood pressure reduces your risk. For people with especially high risk of cardiovascular disease, such as diabetics, a better target is getting blood pressure to 130/85 mm Hg or less.

High blood pressure is more common in blacks than whites. And high blood pressure in blacks causes more severe health problems, such as more strokes and kidney failure.

Recent studies show that lifestyle changes can help keep blood pressure levels normal even into advanced age and are important in treating and preventing high blood pressure. If you are overweight, taking off 10 to15 pounds can lower blood pressure. Eat a diet loaded with vegetables. Fruits in moderation are also healthy. Limit high-salt foods, including many snack foods such as potato chips, salted pretzels, and salted crackers; processed foods, such as canned soups; and condiments, such as ketchup and soy sauce. Work with your doctor to find the right medications that you will take every day to keep your blood pressure controlled.

A total blood cholesterol of under 200 mg/dL is desirable and usually puts you at a lower risk for heart disease. A blood cholesterol level of 240 mg/dL or above is high and increases your risk of heart disease. More attention these days is devoted to LDL cholesterol, which is considered high if it is 160 mg/dL or more, and optimal if less than 100 mg/dL. All adults 20 years of age or older should have their complete fasting lipid profile (water only for 9 to 12 hours prior to the blood test) checked at least once every 5 years.

Eating foods low in saturated fat and avoiding all trans fats are the most effective dietary ways to lower blood cholesterol levels. Reducing the amount of cholesterol also helps, but just not as much. Choose low-saturated fat foods, such as grains, fruits, and vegetables; low-fat or skim milk and milk products; lean cuts of meat; fish; and chicken. Trim fat from meat before cooking; bake or broil meat rather than fry; and take the skin off chicken and turkey. Reducing weight can lower your total cholesterol and regular exercise often raises HDL-cholesterol.

People who have had one heart attack are at much higher risk for a second attack. Reducing blood cholesterol levels can greatly slow down (and, in some people, even reverse) the buildup of cholesterol and fat in the walls of the arteries and significantly reduce the chances of a second heart attack.

While all children over the age of 2 years should adopt a heart-healthy eating pattern, experts do not recommend starting general cholesterol screening before age 20. However, children from "high-risk" families, in which a parent has high blood cholesterol (240 mg/dL or above) or in which a parent or grandparent has had heart disease at an early age (at 55 years of age or younger), should have their cholesterol levels tested. If a child from such a family has a cholesterol level that is high, it should be lowered under medical supervision, to reduce the risk of developing heart disease as an adult.

Heavy smokers are two to four times more likely to have a heart attack than nonsmokers, and the heart attack death rate among all smokers is 70 percent greater than that of nonsmokers. Stroke risk also increases substantially in heavy smokers compared to non-smokers. Cigarette smoking is directly related to at least 30 percent of cancer deaths. The risk of cancer from smoking is not limited to the lungs. Smoking also causes cancer of the bladder, esophagus, voice box, mouth and throat. Finally, more than 80 percent of all deaths from emphysema and bronchitis are directly due to smoking.

One year after quitting, ex-smokers cut their extra risk for heart attack by about half or more; and eventually the risk will return to normal in healthy ex-smokers. Even if you have already had a heart attack, you can reduce your chances of a second attack if you quit smoking. Ex-smokers also can reduce their risk of cancer, improve blood flow and lung function, and help stop diseases like emphysema and bronchitis from getting worse.

It's never too late to quit. Older smokers are more likely to succeed at quitting smoking than younger smokers. Quitting helps relieve smoking-related symptoms like shortness of breath, coughing, and chest pain.

Weight control is a question of balance. You get calories from the foods you eat. You burn off calories by exercising. There are no short cuts. You must decrease calorie intake to lose weight. Combining this with a regular physical activity, like walking, cycling, jogging, or swimming, not only can help in losing weight but also in maintaining weight loss. A steady weight loss of 1/2 to 1 pound a week is safe for most adults; and the weight is more likely to stay off over the long run. Don't use weight gain as an excuse to smoke. Start your program of less calories and more exercise before you pick your "quit date."

Coronary heart disease is the #1 killer in the United States. More than 2,500 Americans die every day because of cardiovascular diseases — about 1 death every 34 seconds.