Hypertension is the single biggest risk factor for stroke. It also plays a significant role in heart attacks. It can be prevented and successfully treated but only if you have it diagnosed and stick to your recommended management plan.

Abnormal blood lipid levels, that is high total cholesterol, high levels of triglycerides, high levels of low-density lipoprotein or low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol all increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. Changing to a healthy diet, exercise and medication can modify your blood lipid profile.

Tobacco use, whether it is smoking or chewing tobacco, increases risks of cardiovascular disease. The risk is especially high if you started smoking when young, smoke heavily or are a woman. Passive smoking is also a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Stopping tobacco use can reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease significantly, no matter how long you have smoked.

Physical inactivity increases the risk of heart disease and stroke by 50%. Obesity is a major risk for cardiovascular disease and predisposes you to diabetes. Diabetes is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

Type 2 diabetes is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease and stroke. Having diabetes makes you twice as likely as someone who does not to develop cardiovascular disease. If you do not control diabetes then you are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease at an earlier age than other people and it will be more devastating. If you are a pre-menopausal woman, your diabetes cancels out the protective effect of estrogen and your risk of heart disease rises significantly.

A diet high in saturated fat increases the risk of heart disease and stroke. It is estimated to cause about 31% of coronary heart disease and 11% of stroke worldwide.

Being poor, no matter where in the globe, increases your risk of heart disease and stroke. A chronically stressful life, social isolation, anxiety and depression increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Having one to two alcohol drinks a day may lead to a 30% reduction in heart disease, but above this level alcohol consumption will damage the heart muscle.

Certain medicines may increase the risk of heart disease such as the contraceptive pill and hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

There is so much that needs to be said about heart disease, but I want to mention one important nutrient that is beneficial to the heart in so many ways - coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10).

CoQ10 is also called ubiquinone, a name that signifies its ubiquitous (widespread) distribution in the human body. CoQ10 is used by the body to transform food into adenosine triphosphate (ATP), the energy on which the body runs.

CoQ10 is a powerful antioxidant that protects the body from free radicals and helps preserve vitamin E, the major antioxidant of cell membranes and blood cholesterol. With regard to cholesterol, one of the adverse effects of the statin drugs that block the production of cholesterol is interruption of the biosynthesis of coenzyme Q10. Therefore, these medications that symptomatically manage elevated cholesterol levels (thereby theoretically decreasing the risk of cardiovascular disease) actually inhibit the body’s production of one of the most important biochemicals for energy production in the heart, coenzyme Q10.

Virtually every cell of the human body contains CoQ10. It is concentrated in the mitochondria, the area of cells where energy is produced. Most human cells contain hundreds to thousands of mitochondria, the heart contains the most with 5000 mitochondria for each heart cell. Likewise, the heart (and liver) contains the greatest amount of CoQ10. Supplementation with CoQ10 has helped some people with congestive heart failure. Similar improvements have been reported in people with cardiomyopathies - a group of diseases affecting heart muscle.

Also, due to its effect on heart muscle, researchers have studied CoQ10 in people with heart arrhythmias (heart rhythm disturbances, such as atrial fibrillation). Preliminary research in this area reported improvement after approximately one month in people with premature ventricular beats (a form of arrhythmia) who also suffer from diabetes. Additionally, angina patients taking 150 mg per day of CoQ10 report a greater ability to exercise without experiencing chest pain. This has been confirmed in independent investigations. CoQ10 appears to increase the heart's tolerance to a lack of oxygen. Perhaps as a result, preliminary research has shown that problems resulting from heart surgery occurred less frequently in people given CoQ10 compared with the control group.

As an antioxidant, CoQ10 can protect proteins, LDL-cholesterol (bad cholesterol), and mitochondrial DNA from oxidative damage. Because of its function in the production of cellular energy, and as an antioxidant, CoQ10 can aid in the body's response* to a host of health problems including heart disease, cancer, aging, neuro-degenerative diseases, and muscular dystrophy.

*These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. Products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

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