Lifestyle risk factors

Mozaffarian D, Wilson PWF, Kannel WB (2008) Beyond established and novel risk factors lifestyle risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Circulation 117 3031... 

Classic risk factors of atherosclerosis must first and foremost be fought with lifestyle interventions such as diet, physical activity, and smoking cessation. Indeed, and although it effectively relieves angina, simply... 

Risk Factor—An aspect of personal behavior or lifestyle, an environmental exposure, or an inborn or inherited characteristic, that is associated with an increased occurrence of disease or other health-related event or condition. 

Lifestyle changes should address other risk factors for cardiovascular disease including obesity, physical inactivity, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, smoking cessation, and others. 

Educate the patient on lifestyle modifications to control risk factors for IHD. 

Non-modifiable risk factors include age, gender, race/ ethnicity, and heredity. Ischemic stroke risk is increased in those greater than 55 years of age, in men, and in African-Americans, Hispanics, and Asian-Pacific Islanders. It is also increased in those with a family history of stroke. Modifiable risk factors include a number of treatable disease states and lifestyle factors that can greatly influence overall stroke risk. Hypertension is... 

The development of CHD is a lifelong process. Except in rare cases of severely elevated serum cholesterol levels, years of poor dietary habits, sedentary lifestyle, and life-habit risk factors (e.g., smoking and obesity) contribute to the development of atherosclerosis.3 Unfortunately, many individuals at risk for CHD do not receive lipid-lowering therapy or are not optimally treated. This chapter will help identify individuals at risk, assess treatment goals based on the level of CHD risk, and implement optimal treatment strategies and monitoring plans. 

The results of these trials demonstrate that ERT or HRT should not be prescribed for the prevention of CHD or in patients with preexisting CHD. For women suffering from vasomotor symptoms with a history of CHD, including CHD risk factors, alternative therapies should be considered. Additionally, lifestyle modifications should be implemented, and therapies to treat risk factors such as hypertension and hyperlipidemia should be prescribed. It is important to note that the average age of women included in the HERS and the WHI trials was 67 and 63 years, respectively. Therefore, these trials were unable to assess the true risk in younger, potentially healthier women with fewer cardiovascular risk factors. 

The etiology of breast cancer is unknown, but a number of factors that increase a woman s chances of developing the disease have been identified. These risk factors, as well as information regarding the biology of the disease, suggest that a complex interplay between hormones, genetic factors, and environmental and lifestyle influences all contribute to the etiology of this disease. 

In summary, the true association between most dietary factors and the risk of colon cancer is unclear. The protective effects of fiber, calcium, and a diet low in fat are not completely known. Lifestyle factors such as NSAID use and hormone use appear to decrease the risk of colorectal cancer, whereas physical inactivity, alcohol use, and smoking appear to increase the risk of colon cancer. Clinical risk factors and genetic mutations are well-known risks for colon cancer. 

Pharmacotherapy, in addition to lifestyle modifications, is reserved for patients with a BMI of 30 kg/m2 or greater or a BMI of 27 kg/m2 or greater with other obesity-related risk factors. Weight likely will be regained if lifestyle changes are not continued indefinitely. 

PARSIFAL = prevention of allergy risk factors for sensitization in children related to farming and anthroposofic lifestyle. 

Recommended if some other risk factor is present (e.g., on the basis of medical, occupational, lifestyle, or other indications)... 

Healthy lifestyle is mandatory for all postmenopausal women together with adequate correction of detected risk factors. That is why this intervention is in the center of the diagram and concerns 100% of the women in this period. Then a decision must be made as to whether the woman s risk profile calls for any intervention beyond lifestyle improvement. The use of surrogate markers or risk scores can be useful in evaluating individual patients. 

Most chemical carcinogens have been identified from epidemiological studies, for which incidence of cancer is linked to a particular occupation or lifestyle (Table 21.6). Such studies are enormously beneficial, because identification of a risk factor can lead to changes in behaviour which decrease the incidence of cancer. This is illustrated by a quotation from Roy Porter s book. Greatest Benefit to Mankind (1999) ... 

The only study found here came from Scandinavia. The estimated intake of milk fat, mirrored as the proportions of 15 0,17 0, and 15 0 + 17 0 in plasma phospholipids, was inversely related to a first stroke in a smaller case-control study. The odds ratio to have a first ever stroke was 0.41 95% Cl [0.24-0.69] for each standard deviation increase of 17 0 in the plasma phospholipid fraction. These associations remained after adjustment for cardiovascular risk factors, other food groups, and physical activity. A similar, but nonsignificant, trend was seen in men (Warensjo et al., 2009). Again, this apparent protective effect may reflect the cultural diet and associated lifestyle. 

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