Most men think themselves stronger than women.  When it comes to heart health, though, women have a slight edge.  Being a male per se is a risk factor. Studies show that the male of our species have a greater risk of heart attack than women do, and they suffer attacks earlier in life.

Age, specifically 65 and beyond, is considered another risk factor, although heart disease may also sneak in among the young.  In the case of the latter, one of the things that predisposes young individuals to cardiovascular ailments is regular smoking. Coronary heart disease is the leading cause of death from smoking.

Cigarette smoke toxins cause plaques to form in the arteries, leading to atherosclerosis. Excessive drinking of alcoholic beverages and smoking can raise blood pressure, narrow blood vessels, destroy the ratio of good cholesterol to bad cholesterol, and elevate the risk of blood clots that cause heart attacks. Diabetes in young people is another risk factor for coronary heart disease.

Medical practitioners will also not overlook the risk of persons succumbing to heart disease if they have a family history of heart problems. Individuals with parents or close relatives with heart disease are likely to develop it themselves.  Studies will point to race as another risk factor for cardiac disease. Studies have shown that heart disease risk is higher among Afro-Americans, American Indians, Mexican-Americans, and some Amerasians (Asian-Americans) than with Caucasians.

Other male risk factors for cardiac disease are an elevated cholesterol; and high blood pressure.  The latter causes the heart to thicken and become stiffer, and increases the risk of heart attack and congestive heart failure.

A Puerto Rico Heart Study revealed a significant, positive association between saturated fat intake and ischemic heart disease (IHD), which is marked by reduced blood flow to the heart.  A follow-up report featuring over 7000 men similarly found significant positive correlations between IHD risk and total fat, saturated fat and dietary cholesterol intakes.

Other things that may precipitate heart disease in men are a sedentary/ lifestyle and lack of exercise. Finally, excess pounds or excess body fat makes people susceptible to heart disease and stroke even in the absence of other risk factors.

When numerous risk factors like high blood pressure, obesity, smoking, high blood cholesterol levels and diabetes are all present, the risk of heart attack or stroke increases several times over.

Those with no known risk factors to heart disease may consider it a clue that a heart problem has set in if they are tested to have high blood levels of the amino acid homocysteine. Interestingly, studies conducted in the Netherlands and Czech Republic revealed that the rich Vitamin  B content in beer can avert the build-up of homocysteine, thereby precluding a heart attack.

It may be time to seek medical help if the following symptoms manifest themselves, though not all may occur: severe chest pain, which may be accompanied by shortness of breath and/or weakness;  sudden, severe headache; feeling of fullness in the stomach accompanied by loss of appetite or nausea; extreme fatigue or decreased ability to undertake daily activities; an infection, such as a cough that has become worse; irregular heartbeat; difficulty breathing during regular activities or at rest; sleep pattern changes in sleep patterns; decreased urination; constant dizziness or lightheadedness; nausea or poor appetite; fainting spell with loss of consciousness.  

To decrease the risk of heart disease, individuals will do well to quit smoking,  monitor blood glucose levels, eat a low-fat diet and replace foods rich in saturated/trans fats with those rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, particularly omega-3 fatty acids.