28 Dangerous Things Experts Link to Heart Disease

More than one third of U.S. adults are obese and everyone of those adults is staring at an increased risk of heart disease. Obesity has been linked to risk factors for heart disease like high cholesterol, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and heart failure.

Drinking too much alcohol raises the risks of developing serious heart diseases. Heavy drinking raises blood pressure, bad cholesterol levels, can cause heart arrhythmias, can prevent your blood from clotting, leading to easier bleeding, and may even damage the heart muscle itself.

Smoking is responsible for about one in five U.S. deaths every year. It is also a major risk factor for heart disease which itself is responsible for about 25% of U.S. deaths a year. Smoking increases blood pressure, raises heart rate, raises the risk of blood clots, and damages blood vessels.