You can do a lot to prevent or delay heart disease. You can start by changing what you eat and getting more physical activity. Avoiding tobacco products and limiting alcohol helps, too. Making small changes to your daily life can add up, giving you a healthier heart. Talk with your healthcare provider about a plan that works for you.
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Yes, in many cases, you can prevent heart disease or delay its progression. Heart disease refers to conditions that impact your heart’s function or structure. The most common form of heart disease is coronary artery disease (CAD).
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Cleveland Clinic is a non-profit academic medical center. Advertising on our site helps support our mission. We do not endorse non-Cleveland Clinic products or services. Policy
If you have CAD, that means you have plaque buildup in your coronary arteries. These are the arteries that supply oxygen-rich blood to your heart to keep it pumping day after day. Plaque can limit or block blood flow to your heart, leading to symptoms like stable angina or, ultimately, a heart attack.
It’s not always possible to prevent plaque buildup in your arteries. Plaque usually starts to form when you’re a child or teen. But it can be possible to slow its progression so you avoid or delay complications.
There are many things you can do to prevent heart disease. Some involve changes you can make in your daily life. In some cases, you may need medications, too.
The list below offers lifestyle changes that can help you prevent heart disease or delay its onset.
Tobacco use is the most preventable risk factor for heart disease and stroke. Quitting isn’t easy. But it’s one of the most important things you can do to protect your heart and blood vessels. If you use tobacco products, talk with your healthcare provider about how to quit.
Why it matters: People who smoke have more than twice the risk of a heart attack compared with people who don’t smoke. Smoking is also the biggest risk factor for sudden cardiac death. Even one to two cigarettes a day greatly increases your risk of heart attack or stroke. Secondhand smoke also increases your risk.
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If you drink, limit yourself to two drinks per day (if assigned male at birth) or one (if assigned female at birth). Make sure you know how much alcohol counts as a drink.
Why it matters: Drinking too much alcohol can lead to heart and blood vessel problems, including:
Make changes to how you eat. A dietitian can help you find changes you can make right away.
Here are some general tips for heart-healthy eating.
Eat more of these:
Reduce or get rid of these:
Why it matters: Heart-healthy foods give you nutrients that support your heart. Healthy eating plans limit or get rid of ingredients that can raise your blood pressure or clog your arteries. The Mediterranean diet is one such plan with proven benefits.
A lipid panel measures the fats in your blood like cholesterol and triglycerides. In general, aim for these levels in your lipid panel results:
Talk with your provider about what these numbers mean. If they’re not in the healthy range, discuss what you can do to improve them.
Why it matters: LDL cholesterol is “bad” because it contributes to plaque buildup in your arteries (atherosclerosis). Plus, scientists have linked high total cholesterol and high triglycerides with a higher risk for heart disease.
When it comes to HDL cholesterol, aim for:
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Why it matters: HDL helps your body get rid of the extra LDL (bad) cholesterol circulating in your blood. High HDL levels may protect you against heart disease. Low levels may put you at risk.
Aim for blood pressure at or below 120/80 millimeters of mercury. Your provider might change your blood pressure goal depending on your age and medical history.
To manage your blood pressure:
Why it matters: Blood pressure is a measurement of the force inside your arteries each time your heart beats. High blood pressure makes your heart and kidneys work harder. Over time, this raises your risk of:
Talk with your provider about what your ideal blood sugar and hemoglobin A1C numbers should be. Then, make a plan to meet your goal.
Why it matters: People with diabetes have a higher risk of heart disease. That’s because diabetes makes you more likely to have:
Talk with your provider about what weight is healthy for you.
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In general, aim for:
Why it matters: Carrying extra weight (especially around your waist) can put a burden on your heart and blood vessels. It may cause you to develop:
Aim for 30 minutes of moderately intense physical activity five days per week. This could include brisk walking or swimming. Or, aim for 25 minutes of vigorous physical activity (like running) three days per week. You still gain benefits if you’re active in several shorter chunks of 10 to 15 minutes each.
Plus, find ways to add more movement to your daily routine:
Talk with your provider before starting any new physical activity or changing your activity level. In general, it’s safer for you to gradually increase your activity level.
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Why it matters: Physical activity is important in preventing heart disease because it:
Follow your provider’s guidance on when and how to take your medications. You need to take medications at the same time each day and follow other guidelines to get the most benefits.
Why it matters: Sometimes, you need medications to help manage conditions like high blood pressure or high cholesterol that put you at risk. If so, talk with your provider about the medications you need and why you need them.
If you face barriers to heart disease prevention, it’s a good idea to talk with your provider. They may be able to connect you with:
Why it matters: You can lower your heart disease risk through your own actions, but a desire to make changes isn’t always enough. Limited access to healthy food and other resources can impact your ability to make heart-healthy choices.
Make an appointment with your healthcare provider each year. They’ll check your vital signs and evaluate your overall health. They’ll also let you know how often you need blood tests to measure your cholesterol, blood sugar and other important levels.
Why it matters: Keeping up with your appointments allows your provider to catch signs of heart disease early. As with most health conditions, early diagnosis gives you the best chance of successful treatment.
Keep your stress level low with workouts, meditation, yoga or music. These are better options than drinking or eating too much in response to stress. Even just breathing deeply and stretching can relieve stress. You can also take a 10-minute break to play with your pet.
Why it matters: Your blood pressure can go up when you’re feeling stressed.
Adults need seven to nine hours of sleep every night. This can be difficult for many people with busy lives. To help you sleep better, try getting physical activity during the daytime and avoiding electronic screens right before bedtime.
Why it matters: A lack of sleep puts you at risk for conditions that lead to heart disease, like diabetes, a high BMI and high blood pressure.
You can’t reverse coronary artery disease once you have it. And there’s no cure. But lifestyle changes and medications can slow or stop the progression. Scientists continue to investigate new medications and therapies every day. For now, there are still reasons to be optimistic:
Heart disease prevention is key. But it isn’t always possible because you can’t change all of your risk factors. Plus, we all face limitations to our efforts.
It’s important to learn how to prevent heart disease and take whatever steps you can in that direction. But know there’s a safety net of treatments available to you if you need them.
There are many risk factors for heart disease. You might hear your healthcare provider mention “nonmodifiable risk factors.” These are risk factors that you can’t modify (change). They include growing older, experiencing menopause, having a family history of heart disease or having certain medical conditions.
Even though you can’t change these risk factors, it’s helpful to know if you have them. That’s because risk factors become more dangerous as they add up. The more you have, the greater your overall risk. So, if you have nonmodifiable risk factors, it’s even more important that you target risk factors related to your lifestyle.
Some health conditions raise your risk of heart disease. These include:
If you have any of these conditions, talk with your healthcare provider about how to lower your heart disease risk.
A note from Cleveland Clinic
Many people have one or more risk factors for heart disease. And it doesn’t always feel easy to make changes. But keep in mind that even small lifestyle changes can make a huge difference. Talk with your healthcare provider about how to make small, simple changes that’ll add up over time.
The knowledge that you can prevent or delay heart disease is empowering. But if your best efforts don’t lead to the results you want, you may feel discouraged. Talk with your provider about other changes you could try. And ask whether medications could help bridge the gap between where you are and where you need to be.
Last reviewed on 01/26/2024.
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