If diet and physical activity alone don't get those numbers down, then medication may be the key. High blood pressure is a major risk factor for stroke. Shake that salt habit, take your medications and get moving.

Those numbers need to get down and stay down. Sit less and move more. Try to be physically active every day. Research has shown that at least minutes per week of moderate-intensity physical activity can help lower blood pressure, lower cholesterol and keep your weight at a healthy level.

And something IS better than nothing. If you're inactive now, start out slow. Even a few minutes at a time may offer some health benefits. Eating too many calories and getting too little physical activity can increase your risk of becoming overweight or obese.

Many people have a hard time losing weight. Weight loss can help improve high blood pressure and cholesterol. It also can help control diabetes.

Good nutrition, controlling calorie intake and being physically active can help you reach and maintain a healthy weight. Learn more about weight management. Diabetes is a chronic lifelong condition. Even when blood glucose levels are kept under control, diabetes greatly increases the risk of heart attack and stroke.

If you have diabetes, regular medical checkups are critical to help keep blood sugar under control. Work with your health care team to develop healthy eating habits, control your weight and get regular physical activity.

You also may need medicines to help control your blood sugar or insulin levels. The amount and quality of sleep you get can influence your eating habits, mood, memory, internal organs and more.

Too much or too little can be harmful. Adults should aim for an average of 7 to 9 hours a night. You can improve the quality of your sleep by being physically active during the day, establishing a bedtime routine, keeping your electronic devices out of the bedroom. Learn about healthy sleep.

Stress may contribute to poor health behaviors, such as smoking or smoking more, overeating and not being physically active. And chronic stress may lead to high blood pressure.

All of these factors can increase your risk for heart disease and stroke. Find healthy ways to manage stress, such as exercising regularly, making time for friends and family, and practicing relaxation techniques. If stress becomes overwhelming, get a health care checkup.

Ongoing stress may be linked with mental health conditions such as anxiety and depression. These conditions also are tied to heart disease risk factors, including higher blood pressure and less blow flow to the heart. If you think you might have depression or anxiety, it's important to get treatment.

High blood pressure and high cholesterol can damage the heart and blood vessels. But if you don't get checked for these conditions, you likely won't know whether you have them.

Regular screening tests can tell you what your numbers are and whether you need to take action. Blood pressure. Regular blood pressure screenings usually start in childhood.

Starting at age 18, blood pressure should be measured at least once every two years. This checks for high blood pressure as a risk factor for heart disease and stroke. If you're between 18 and 39 and have risk factors for high blood pressure, you'll likely be screened once a year.

People age 40 and older also are given a blood pressure test yearly. If you have a condition such as high cholesterol, high blood pressure or diabetes, talk with your health care team. Your doctor may prescribe medicines and recommend lifestyle changes. Make sure to take your medicines exactly as prescribed, and follow a healthy-lifestyle plan.

Certain infections may lead to heart problems. For instance, gum disease may be a risk factor for heart and blood vessel diseases.

So brush and floss daily. Get regular dental checkups too. Other illnesses caused by infections can make existing heart problems worse. Vaccines help protect against infectious diseases.

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Products and services. Strategies to prevent heart disease You can help prevent heart disease by following a heart-healthy lifestyle.

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Show references Know your risk for heart disease. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Accessed May 15, Heart disease facts.

Hennekens CH. Overview of primary prevention of coronary heart disease and stroke. How to prevent heart disease at any age. American Heart Association. Heart-healthy lifestyle changes. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Smokeless tobacco: Health effects. How smoking affects heart health.

Food and Drug Administration. Benefits of quitting. American Lung Association. Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. Department of Health and Human Services. How does sleep affect your heart health? Get more information about quitting smoking. Avoiding secondhand smoke is important, too — so keep your home smoke-free.

If you have guests who smoke, ask them to smoke outside. Managing stress can help prevent serious health problems like heart disease, depression, and high blood pressure. Deep breathing and meditation are good ways to relax and manage stress. Get more ideas for how to manage stress.

This content on heart disease was adapted from materials from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute. Reviewed by: Paula T. Einhorn, M. Linking to a non-federal website does not constitute an endorsement by ODPHP or any of its employees of the sponsors or the information and products presented on the website.

Department of Health and Human Services Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion. MyHealthfinder Health Conditions Heart Health Keep Your Heart Healthy.

Health Conditions Keep Your Heart Healthy. The Basics Take Action. What Is Heart Disease? Take Action. Take Action Signs of a Heart Attack What is a heart attack? When to Call Call right away if you or someone else has signs of a heart attack.

Know Your Numbers Take steps today to lower your risk for heart disease. Control your cholesterol and blood pressure. Get your cholesterol checked. Get your blood pressure checked. Ask your doctor about taking aspirin every day.

Talk to your doctor about taking medicine to lower your risk of heart attack and stroke. Food and Alcohol Eat healthy. Drink alcohol only in moderation.

Weight loss can help improve high blood pressure and cholesterol. It also can help control diabetes. Good nutrition, controlling calorie intake and being physically active can help you reach and maintain a healthy weight. Learn more about weight management. Diabetes is a chronic lifelong condition.

Even when blood glucose levels are kept under control, diabetes greatly increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. If you have diabetes, regular medical checkups are critical to help keep blood sugar under control.

Work with your health care team to develop healthy eating habits, control your weight and get regular physical activity. You also may need medicines to help control your blood sugar or insulin levels.

The amount and quality of sleep you get can influence your eating habits, mood, memory, internal organs and more. Too much or too little can be harmful.

Adults should aim for an average of 7 to 9 hours a night. You can improve the quality of your sleep by being physically active during the day, establishing a bedtime routine, keeping your electronic devices out of the bedroom. Learn about healthy sleep. Stress may contribute to poor health behaviors, such as smoking or smoking more, overeating and not being physically active.

And chronic stress may lead to high blood pressure. All of these factors can increase your risk for heart disease and stroke. Find healthy ways to manage stress, such as exercising regularly, making time for friends and family, and practicing relaxation techniques.

Get stress management tips and tools. Drinking too much alcohol can raise blood pressure, increase cardiomyopathy, stroke, cancer and other diseases. It can contribute to high triglycerides and produce irregular heartbeats. Excessive alcohol consumption also contributes to obesity, alcoholism, suicide and accidents.

Read our recommendation on alcohol. Written by American Heart Association editorial staff and reviewed by science and medicine advisors. See our editorial policies and staff. Heart Attack. About Heart Attacks. Warning Signs of a Heart Attack. Angina Chest Pain. Understand Your Risks to Prevent a Heart Attack.

A strong heart can pump more blood around your body with less effort. Any aerobic exercise, such as walking , swimming and dancing, makes your heart work harder and keeps it healthy.

A GP or practice nurse can tell you what your ideal weight is in relation to your height and build. Alternatively, you can calculate your body mass index BM online.

Read more about NHS Better Health — lose weight. Smoking is a major risk factor for developing atherosclerosis furring of the arteries. Research has shown you're 3 times more likely to successfully give up smoking if you use NHS support together with stop-smoking medicines, such as patches or gum.

Ask a doctor about this or visit NHS Better Health — Quit Smoking. Always avoid binge drinking, as this increases the risk of a heart attack.

You can keep your blood pressure under control by eating a healthy diet low in saturated fat, exercising regularly and, if needed, taking medicine to lower your blood pressure.

If you have high blood pressure, ask a GP to check your blood pressure regularly. Read more about high blood pressure. You have a greater chance of developing CHD if you have diabetes.

You can help lower your risk of heart problems by being physically active and controlling your weight. If you have CHD, you may be prescribed medicine to help relieve your symptoms and stop further problems developing.

If you do not have CHD but have high cholesterol, high blood pressure or a history of family heart disease, your doctor may prescribe medicine to prevent you developing heart-related problems. Keep your cholesterol and triglyceride levels under control.

High levels of cholesterol can clog your arteries and raise your risk of coronary artery disease and heart attack. Lifestyle changes and medicines if needed can lower your cholesterol. Triglycerides are another type of fat in the blood. High levels of triglycerides may also raise the risk of coronary artery disease, especially in women.

Stay at a healthy weight. Being overweight or having obesity can increase your risk for heart disease. This is mostly because they are linked to other heart disease risk factors, including high blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels, high blood pressure, and diabetes.

Controlling your weight can lower these risks. Eat a healthy diet. Try to limit saturated fats, foods high in sodium, and added sugars. Eat plenty of fresh fruit, vegetables, and whole grains.

The DASH diet is an example of an eating plan that can help you to lower your blood pressure and cholesterol, two things that can lower your risk of heart disease.

Get regular exercise. Exercise has many benefits, including strengthening your heart and improving your circulation. It can also help you maintain a healthy weight and lower cholesterol and blood pressure. All of these can lower your risk of heart disease.

Limit alcohol. Drinking too much alcohol can raise your blood pressure. It also adds extra calories, which may cause weight gain. Both of those raise your risk of heart disease. Men should have no more than two alcoholic drinks per day, and women should not have more than one.

Don't smoke. Cigarette smoking raises your blood pressure and puts you at higher risk for heart attack and stroke. If you do not smoke, do not start.

If you do smoke, quitting will lower your risk for heart disease. You can talk with your health care provider for help in finding the best way for you to quit. Manage stress. Stress is linked to heart disease in many ways.

It can raise your blood pressure. Extreme stress can be a "trigger" for a heart attack. Also, some common ways of coping with stress, such as overeating, heavy drinking, and smoking, are bad for your heart.

Some ways to help manage your stress include exercise, listening to music, focusing on something calm or peaceful, and meditating. Manage diabetes. Having diabetes doubles your risk of diabetic heart disease. That is because over time, high blood sugar from diabetes can damage your blood vessels and the nerves that control your heart and blood vessels.

So, it is important to get tested for diabetes, and if you have it, to keep it under control.

The more colorful and fresh your choices, the better. Low fat dairy products are excellent alternatives to high fat ones. Examples include skim milk, low fat yogurt, soy milk, or fat-free cheeses.

The American Heart Association AHA recommends getting at least minutes of moderate intensity aerobic exercise per week or 75 minutes of vigorous activity.

Combining both is okay, too. Engaging in activities that help you build strong muscles , such as lifting weight or using resistance bands, can power your metabolism. This helps you maintain a moderate weight and blood pressure.

Standing, walking, and moving, in general, can be more heart-healthy than constant sitting. If possible, use a standing desk or make efforts to take walk breaks throughout your day. According to the AHA , physical inactivity is linked with greater risks of heart disease and early death.

Keep moving! Smoking can have serious effects on your heart health. If you do smoke, this is a great time to try quitting. Exposure to secondhand smoke puts your heart health at risk, too.

If someone in your house smokes, ask them to smoke outside. Or better yet, encourage them to quit. Alcohol in excess can increase your risk of heart disease. Moderation is key. The Department of Health and Human Services recommends not more than 2 drinks per day for most adults.

Talk with your doctor about what a moderate weight is for you given your age, height, and frame. Visiting a doctor annually or more often, depending on your health can help you take a preventive approach to care. If you have conditions known to affect heart health, such as chronic kidney disease or diabetes, make efforts to manage these conditions to improve your overall health.

Getting treatment early and following your treatment plan can drastically improve your outlook. Reaching out to loved ones when you feel stressed can help you receive the support that you need. Sharing your emotions and anxieties can be difficult, but a person who wants the best for you will provide a listening ear.

Realistically, you probably will deal with stressful events from time to time. Create a strategy for how you can maintain calm when you do. This may include deep breathing, repeating a calming saying, or prioritizing the tasks at hand.

A review shows that quitting smoking can lead to weight gain in some individuals. This may have a negative impact on heart health. But quitting smoking is still critically important. To reap the benefits of quitting smoking and maintaining a moderate weight, try the following tips:.

Tip Use medications to help you quit smoking , such as nicotine patches or varenicline Chantix. These approaches help to keep you from gaining weight while you quit smoking.

Tip Get emotional support from a counselor or trusted friend as you are trying to quit and be healthier. Having psychological support can help you maintain your weight. Tip Exercise regularly to help maintain a healthy body and moderate weight. Several pregnancy-related disorders, such as preeclampsia and gestational high blood pressure , can increase your risk of heart disease later in life, according to a study.

Tip Attend all your recommended prenatal appointments. Your doctor can monitor you for potential complications, such as high blood pressure or diabetes. Treating these with medications can help maintain your heart health. Staying active will help you maintain a healthy body during pregnancy and relieve some stress.

Tip Follow a heart-healthy diet, such as the DASH diet. A review associated eating this diet during pregnancy with reduced blood pressure. Start your quit plan today! Take the first step and call QUIT-NOW for FREE support. Never stop taking your medicine without talking to your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist.

Substitute water for sugary drinks to reduce calories. If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation by limiting consumption to no more than 1 drink for women and 2 for men on days that alcohol is consumed.

Self-measured blood pressure monitors are easy and safe to use, and your doctor can show you how to use one if you need help. Learn more about keeping your heart healthy by visiting www.

Skip directly to site content Skip directly to search. Español Other Languages. Minus Related Pages. Feeling the Pressure? Your health care team should measure your blood pressure at least once every 2 years if you have never had high blood pressure or other risk factors for heart disease.

If you have been diagnosed with high blood pressure, also called hypertension, your health care team will measure your blood pressure more often to make sure you have the condition under control.

Talk with your health care team about how often you should check your blood pressure. If you have high blood pressure, your health care team might recommend some changes in your lifestyle, such as lowering the sodium in your diet; your doctor may also prescribe medicine to help lower your blood pressure.

If you have diabetes, monitor your blood sugar levels carefully. Talk with your health care team about treatment options.

Your doctor may recommend certain lifestyle changes to help keep your blood sugar under control. These actions will help reduce your risk for heart disease. Never stop taking your medicine without first talking to your doctor, nurse, or pharmacist.

You and your health care team can work together to prevent or treat the medical conditions that lead to heart disease. Discuss your treatment plan regularly, and bring a list of questions to your appointments. Talk with your health care team about how heart disease and mental health disorders are related.

Your treatment plan may include medicines or surgery and lifestyle changes to reduce your risk. Skip directly to site content Skip directly to search.

Español Other Languages. Prevent Heart Disease. Minus Related Pages. Share Fact Sheets About Heart Disease Patient Education Handouts. Choose Healthy Foods and Drinks Choose healthy meals and snacks to help prevent heart disease and its complications. Eating lots of foods high in saturated fat and trans fat may contribute to heart disease.

Eating foods high in fiber and low in saturated fats, trans fat, and cholesterol can help prevent high cholesterol.