Non-modifiable (which cannot be altered)

Age

The risk increases with age, andparticularly in men over the age of 50–55, and from themenopause onwards in women.

Gender

The risk of heart disease and stroke increases after the menopause. Women who have suffered from pre-eclampsia during pregnancy also have a higher risk of heart disease and stroke.

Although men often develop these risks earlier, women tend to have more subtle symptoms, which can make them harder to identify and diagnose in certain situations.

Family and medical history

The risk is higher if a close relative has had heart disease or suffered a stroke at a young age.

Each individual may have one or more risk factors. In the latter case, it is important to note that cardiovascular risk factors do not simply add up; rather, they potentiate one another, meaning they exacerbate each other’s effects.

Find out how to protect yourself in your daily life by following the right steps in the Prevention section of santesecu.lu.