Predicting Hospitalizations From Electronic Health Record Data
Risk Factors For Heart Disease
CAD, also called heart disease, or coronary heart disease, causes roughly 805,000 heart attacks and leads to 696,000 deaths each year in the U.S.
Because heart disease is so common and often is silent until it strikes, it is important to recognize the factors that put you at risk.
There are risk factors for heart disease that you have control over and others that you don't. Uncontrollable risk factors for heart disease include:
Heart disease risk factors that you can control revolve around lifestyle. These include:
Research shows heart disease may be preventable more than half the time with simple changes in lifestyle. Besides lowering your risk for heart attack and stroke, these changes often can improve your overall physical and mental health. Here are some ways you can change lifestyle factors to reduce your risk of heart disease:
Quit smoking. Smoking is the most preventable risk factor. Smokers have more than twice the risk of heart attack as nonsmokers and are much more likely to die from them. If you smoke, quit. Better yet, don't start smoking in the first place. Even if you don't smoke, constant exposure to other people's cigarette smoke (secondhand smoke) raises your risk of heart disease.
Improve cholesterol levels. Your risk for heart disease increases with unhealthy cholesterol numbers. The right levels can vary somewhat depending on your age, sex, overall health, and family health history. Ask your doctor about the right levels for you. In general, though, your levels should be as follows:
A diet low in cholesterol, saturated and trans fats, and simple sugars, and high in complex carbohydrates can help lower cholesterol levels in some people. Regular exercise will also help lower "bad" cholesterol and raise "good" cholesterol in some cases.
If that's not enough, your doctor may suggest a cholesterol medication, like a statin, to help lower levels.
Control high blood pressure. About 67 million people in the U.S. Have high blood pressure, making it the most common risk factor for heart disease. Nearly 1 in 3 adults have systolic blood pressure (the upper number) over 130, and/or diastolic blood pressure (the lower number) over 80, which is the definition of high blood pressure. Your doctor will assess your blood pressure numbers in light of your overall health, lifestyle, and other risk factors. You and your doctor can come up with a plan to help control blood pressure through diet, exercise, weight management, and, if needed, medication.
Control diabetes. If not properly controlled, diabetes can lead to heart disease and heart damage, including heart attacks. Control diabetes through a healthy diet, exercise, maintaining a healthy weight, and medication as prescribed by your doctor.
Get active. People who don't exercise have higher rates of heart disease compared to people who perform even moderate amounts of physical activity. A bit of light gardening or walking can lower your risk of heart disease.
Most people should exercise 30 minutes a day, at moderate intensity, on most days. More vigorous exercise could help even more, but talk to your doctor first. Try to use large muscle groups and get your heart rate up. Aerobic activities that raise your heart rate include brisk walking, cycling, swimming, jumping rope, and jogging. You can also lift weights to increase strength and muscle endurance.
If motivation is a problem, make an exercise menu. Pick a couple of activities that sound like fun. That way, you always have some choices. Consult your doctor before starting any exercise program, especially if you have underlying health conditions or haven't exercised in a while.
Eat right. Eat a heart-healthy diet low in sodium, saturated fat, trans fat, cholesterol, and refined sugars. Try to increase your intake of foods rich in vitamins and other nutrients, especially antioxidants, which may lower your risk for heart disease. Also eat plant-based foods such as fruits and vegetables, nuts, and whole grains.
Rethink your drink. Limit alcohol. Moderate drinking may be OK, but more than that isn't good for your heart health. What's moderate drinking? Up to one glass a day for women, and up to two glasses a day for men.
Maintain a healthy weight. Obesity by itself could raise your risk for heart disease. In addition, excess weight puts strain on your heart and often raises your risk of other heart disease risk factors like diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. A balanced diet and regular exercise can help you keep a healthy weight. Talk to your doctor if you need a safe plan for weight loss or if you want to figure out the right body weight for your heart health.
Manage stress. Poorly controlled stress and anger can worsen heart disease. Some approaches include:
Talk to your doctor. Discuss your lifestyle as well as your family's medical history with your doctor. Together you'll be able to come up with a plan best suited to your needs.
Asthma Risk Factors
Health experts don't know exactly what causes asthma. However, certain factors are associated with increased asthma risk.
Asthma is a chronic (long-term) disease of the lungs that causes inflammation and narrowing of the airways.
While the exact causes of asthma are not known, health experts believe that both genetic and environmental factors can contribute to asthma.
These factors include:
It's common for people with asthma to have allergies as well, but not everyone who has allergies will develop asthma.
In this article, we review what researchers currently know about the risk factors and causes of asthma and what you can do to help avoid possible asthma triggers.
A note on language
Sex and gender exist on spectrums. This article uses the terms "female" and "male" to refer to sex assigned at birth. However, this category is more complex than a male-female binary. Learn more here.
Several factors may increase your risk of developing asthma.
Family historyIf one of your parents has asthma, you may be 3–6 times more likely to develop it than someone whose parents do not have it. This can reflect the underlying genetic components of asthma as well as shared living conditions.
It's thought that multiple genes may be involved in asthma development, and you can inherit these from your parents.
The risk of developing asthma may be highest if your birthing parent also has it, or if both of your biological parents have it.
Demographic categories: Age, sex, and race and ethnicityAsthma is more common in children than in adults. Most children with asthma develop it before age 5.
According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, male children are more likely to develop asthma than female children. However, adult females are more likely to develop adult-onset asthma.
Additionally, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) reports that Black, Hispanic, Native American, and Alaska Native people have the highest rates of asthma in the United States and are more likely to experience severe complications, including hospitalization and death.
The AAFA notes that systemic racism is largely responsible for the disparities in living conditions and healthcare access that drive these differences.
For example, research presented to the American Thoracic Society suggests that biases encoded in lung function (spirometry) tests make it less likely that Black people will receive adequate care for lung conditions.
AllergiesCertain allergic conditions, such as atopic dermatitis (eczema) and hay fever (allergic rhinitis), are considered risk factors for developing asthma.
Having a sensitivity to allergens such as the following may mean that you're more likely to develop asthma:
Allergens can also trigger asthma attacks after you develop asthma.
SmokingCigarette smoke leads to lung irritation, and people who smoke have a higher risk of developing asthma.
People who were exposed to secondhand smoke during childhood or whose birthing parent smoked during pregnancy are also more likely to have asthma.
Air pollutionRepeated exposure to ozone, a gas found in polluted air, is believed to increase the risk of asthma.
Additionally, children who live in urban areas are more likely to develop severe asthma than those who do not live in these areas.
Occupational exposuresExposure to certain chemicals, gases, or allergens may increase your risk of developing occupational (work-related) asthma.
In fact, this asthma subtype has become so common in the United States that it's estimated that 15% of all asthma cases may be job-related.
People who do the following types of work are considered higher risk for this type of asthma:
Occupational asthma may take months or years to develop, but it's possible to start having symptoms much more quickly. In some cases, lung issues can persist even after you're no longer exposed to the irritants or allergens.
Also, if you already have asthma, occupational exposure to dust, fumes, or chemicals may make it worse.
ObesityIn both children and adults, obesity and overweight have been linked to an increased risk of developing asthma. People with obesity are more likely to have severe asthma that's difficult to manage.
It's thought that low grade inflammation in the body may contribute to this risk factor.
Viral respiratory infectionsSome children develop asthma after recovering from a viral respiratory infection. This may be due to changes that these illnesses can cause in a child's developing lungs or immune system.
A viral infection called bronchiolitis has been specifically linked to increased asthma risk in children.
Certain childhood conditionsChildren who were born preterm (prematurely) have an increased risk of developing asthma, particularly if they needed breathing assistance from a ventilator.
Low birth weight also increases the risk of developing asthma.
Asthma is a long-term disease that causes inflammation in the air passages in your lungs. Your airways can become constricted when you encounter certain triggers, making it difficult to breathe.
While the exact cause of asthma isn't known, several risk factors may contribute to its development, including a combination of genetic and environmental factors.
Triggers such as airborne irritants and allergens may increase inflammation and cause airway constriction. Understanding your triggers is essential to managing asthma. You may also need ongoing treatments to help prevent asthma attacks.
Regardless of the possible causes of your asthma, you should consult a healthcare professional if you're experiencing symptoms such as wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath. They can help you assess the severity of your asthma, identify and manage your triggers, and come up with an asthma action plan for long-term management.
Diabetic Retinopathy Risk Factors
Diabetic retinopathy is a complication that is seen in diabetic patients who have suffered from the disease for a long time. One of the major risk factors for diabetic retinopathy is a long duration of diabetes.
The condition is caused by persistently high blood sugar levels damaging the small thread-like blood vessels that supply the retina. The retina lies at the back of the eye and is a light sensitive membrane. It converts the light that enters into the eyes into electric signals which the optic nerve then carries to the brain. In turn, the brain interprets the signals and converts them into images. Diabetic retinopathy is a progressive condition and, once it is advanced, it can lead to complete loss of vision and sudden blindness.
In the initial stages, tiny swellings called microaneurysms form in the sides of blood vessels and as disease progresses, new blood vessels also form. Both these new blood vessels and the microaneurysms are liable to rupture, leaking blood into the retina.
Risk factors Diabetes durationThe longer a person suffers from diabetes, the greater the risk of developing retinopathy. Nearly 90% of people who have had type 1 diabetes for over 10 years develop some extent of diabetic retinopathy. The proportion of those who have had type 2 diabetics for over 10 years but do not take insulin is 67% and among type 2 diabetics with a 10 year disease duration who do take insulin, the proportion is 79%.
Blood sugar levelThe higher a person's blood sugar level is, the greater the risk of developing diabetic retinopathy. People with a persistently raised glycated hemoglobin level (which indicates blood glucose level) are at greater risk of developing diabetic retinopathy.
Blood pressureHigh blood pressure in itself is detrimental to the retinal blood vessels and can cause hypertensive retinopathy. Therefore, among people with both a raised blood sugar level and high blood pressure, the risk of diabetic retinopathy is greater still.
SmokingSmokers are at a greater risk of blood vessel disorders, including retinopathy.
Gestational diabetesPregnant women with gestational diabetes are at a greater risk of developing diabetic retinopathy.
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