Risk factors are things that are important when one is looking at the possibility of developing heart disease or metabolic syndrome. There are two different kinds of risk factors. One type of risk factor is called a major risk factor . The other is called a contributing risk factor.
People who have been diagnosed with a mental illness or psychiatric diagnosis such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression or a different diagnosis often have one or more major risk factors in determining whether one will have an additional problem (having to deal with heart disease along with a psychiatric diagnosis). When one is in poor physical health it can often affect mental health. Many people who have a psychiatric diagnosis often state that it is hard to be both physically ill and mentally ill.
Major risk factors are things, items or happenings that have been proven to increase one’s risk of heart disease. Major known risk factors are:
High blood cholesterol [link to the 4 types of fat page]
High blood pressure
Obesity, a high body mass index (BMI) or being over weight
Diabetes
Smoking
Being physically inactive
Gender
Heredity
Age
Contributing risk factors are things, items or happenings that doctors and researchers think can lead to an increased risk of heart disease but what their exact contributing role is has not been totally defined.Known contributing risk factors are:
Stress
Sex Hormones
Birth Control Pills
If you smoke or have other risk factors, birth control pills will multiply your risk factor, especially if you are over 35. The birth control pills increase your risk of heart disease and raise the possiblity of blood clots.
Earlier versions of birth control pills were more of a risk factor than newer versions of birth control pills. Because of the increased safety, birth control is less of a contributing factor now unless the situation is complicated by one’s life-style. Try to be an informed consumer on issue.
Alcohol
Making life-style changes can help people control both major and contributing risk factors in the escalation of possibilities that can cause heart disease.