Heart age is a calculation of how old your heart is based on several key risk factors for heart disease. These include your age, gender, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, smoking status, and body mass index (BMI).

While your actual age may be 30 years old, if your heart age is calculated to be 45 years old, it means that your heart is currently at an increased risk for heart disease compared to other people your age.

Why is knowing your heart age important?

By knowing your heart age, you can take steps to reduce your risk of heart disease. If your heart age is older than your actual age, it means you may need to make significant lifestyle changes to improve your cardiovascular health.

This may include making changes to your diet, getting more exercise, quitting smoking, managing stress, and taking medication if necessary.

How is heart age calculated?

There are a few different methods for calculating heart age, but one of the most commonly used tools is the ASCVD Risk Estimator Plus.

This is an online tool that was developed by the American College of Cardiology and the American Heart Association, and it uses data from several large studies to estimate your risk of heart disease over the next 10 years.

To use the tool, you will need to enter some basic information about yourself, including your age, gender, race, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, smoking status, and BMI.

The tool will then calculate your 10-year risk of developing heart disease, as well as your heart age.

What are the risk factors for heart disease?

There are several risk factors that can increase your risk of developing heart disease. These include:.

High blood pressure
High cholesterol
Diabetes
Smoking
Family history of heart disease
Sedentary lifestyle
Obesity

If you have one or more of these risk factors, it is important to take steps to address them in order to lower your overall risk of developing heart disease.

How can you reduce your risk of heart disease?

There are many things you can do to lower your risk of heart disease, including:.

Eating a healthy diet that is low in saturated and trans fats, cholesterol, and sodium
Getting regular exercise, such as brisk walking, jogging, cycling, or swimming, for at least 30 minutes a day
Quitting smoking
Managing stress with techniques like meditation, yoga, or deep breathing
Taking medication as prescribed, such as blood pressure medication or statins

What are some other tools for assessing heart disease risk?

In addition to heart age, there are several other tools that can be used to assess your risk of heart disease.

One of the most well-known is the Framingham Risk Score, which is based on data from the Framingham Heart Study and takes into account factors such as age, gender, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, smoking status, and diabetes.

Another tool is the Reynolds Risk Score, which includes additional factors such as family history of heart disease and levels of a protein called C-reactive protein in the blood.

Conclusion

Knowing your heart age is an important step in taking control of your cardiovascular health and reducing your risk of heart disease.

By working with your healthcare provider and making lifestyle changes as needed, you can help ensure that your heart stays healthy and strong for years to come.