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      • Dr. Cheryl James
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HeartSmarts
  • Home
  • Ambassador Training
  • Programs
    • Closer to Plant Based
    • Heart of a Man
    • Feel the HeartBeat
    • HeartSmarts en Español
    • Education
    • HeartSmarts Challenge
  • Ambassador Spotlight
    • Beverly Bruin
    • Dr. Cheryl James
    • Marva Wade
    • HeartSmarts in Haiti
    • Bowery Mission
    • Testimonials
  • Resources
  • In the News
  • Videos
  • Contact
  • Events

THE HEART OF A MAN

Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men of most racial and ethnic groups in the United States, including African Americans, American Indians or Alaska Natives, Hispanics, and whites. For Asian American or Pacific Islander men, heart disease is second only to cancer. Half of the men who die suddenly of coronary heart disease had no previous symptoms. Even if you have no symptoms, you may still be at risk for heart disease. The purpose of HeartSmarts The Heart of a Man is to focus on the specific health issues that men face as it relates to heart disease in a setting that is more comfortable for them. To sign up for this program, please click the link below:

Sign Up Today

Heart disease affects more than 1 in 3 men in the United States. In some cases, a person may have evident signs of heart disease that are easily recognizable. It is possible, however, to develop heart disease without experiencing any noticeable symptoms. Some risk factors are modifiable, while others are not. Read more about risk factors for heart disease in men:

read more about Risk Factors

In some cases, a heart attack or another severe heart-related event may be one of the earliest signs of heart disease that a man notices. However, there are often some earlier symptoms and signs that they can look for, which may help to prevent a heart attack, stroke, or other complications of heart disease. Read more about heart attack signs:

heart attack signs in men

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Risk Factors for Heart Disease in men

GENDER

FAMILY HISTORY

GENDER

Unfortunately, being male is a heart disease risk factor in and of  itself. While heart disease affects an equal amount of women, men tend  to have a greater risk of heart attack and typically have attacks at a  younger age. Even after menopause, when a woman’s death rate from heart  disease increases, the number of fatal heart attacks in women is still  less than in men.    

AGE

FAMILY HISTORY

GENDER

 Heart disease can affect people of all ages, but it is most common in older ages. A man’s risk for developing heart disease begins nearly 10 years before a woman’s. Nearly one in every 100 men develops signs of heart disease by the age of 45. By age 55, the risk doubles and continues to increase until age 85, when about 7.4 out of every 100 men have heart disease. 

FAMILY HISTORY

FAMILY HISTORY

FAMILY HISTORY

 People who have parents or close blood relatives who have been diagnosed  with heart disease, especially at a young age, are more likely to  develop the disease themselves. Please consult your primary care  physician if you have a family history of heart disease, so he or she  can better track your heart health and make informed recommendations for  heart disease prevention. 

SMOKING

INACTIVITY

FAMILY HISTORY

  Smokers are two to four times more likely to develop heart disease  than non-smokers. If you are one of the 24.8 million American men who  smoke or use tobacco, the best thing you can do for your heart, and your  overall health, is to find the resources and support to quit tobacco.  Quitting tobacco will reduce your chances of developing heart disease  and reduce the chances of someone you love developing heart disease from  secondhand smoke.

INACTIVITY

INACTIVITY

INACTIVITY

 Getting regular physical activity is an important part of strengthening  your heart and reducing your risk for heart disease in both the  immediate and long-term future. Aim to get at least 30 minutes of  heart-pumping exercise, five days a week. If your schedule does not  allow you to exercise for thirty consecutive minutes, try taking a brisk  10 minute walk, three times a day, five days a week. 

OBESITY

INACTIVITY

INACTIVITY

 People who have excess body fat – especially around the waistline – are  more likely to develop heart disease and stroke even if they don’t have  any other heart disease risk factors. Approximately 200 million men  worldwide are considered overweight or obese, putting them at higher  risk for heart disease. In addition to exercising, overweight men should  eat a diet low in salt; low in total fat, saturated fat and  cholesterol; and rich in fresh fruits and vegetables. 

heart attack symptoms in men

Men and women share many of the same symptoms for heart disease and heart attacks.


However, men are more likely to experience the well-known heart attack symptoms such as:

  • crushing chest pain
  • squeezing, discomfort, or fullness in the chest
  • pain in the arm, jaw, or back
  • shortness of breath
  • cold sweat
  • nausea


Women are less likely to experience crushing chest pain. They have a higher chance of having the following symptoms instead:

  • pain in the jaw, neck, or chest
  • feeling faint or lightheaded
  • squeezing on the upper back
  • fullness, pressure, or squeezing in the center of the chest


As  a result, women are more likely to ignore their cardiac symptoms as it  is less obvious that they relate specifically to the heart.

Study: Black men more likely to die from their first heart attack

After earlier studies revealed that African-Americans are more likely to die younger, new studies suggest that black men are twice more likely to die from their first heart attack.  Researchers found that black men between the ages of 45 and 64 were  twice as likely to die of a first-time heart attack than white men.  

Find out more

HEALTH ISSUES RELATED TO HEART DISEASE IN MEN

HIGH CHOLESTEROL

HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

HIGH CHOLESTEROL

 High LDL or “bad” cholesterol levels and high triglyceride levels may be  linked to an increased risk for heart disease. For many men, the risk  of high cholesterol starts in their 20s and increases with age. While a  family history can affect your cholesterol, other factors may include  poor diet, low activity level and high body weight. Men over the age of  20 should get their cholesterol levels tested at least once a year. 

read more

DIABETES

HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

HIGH CHOLESTEROL

 The National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse (NDIC) estimates there  are 13 million men over the age of 20 who have diabetes. Adults living  with diabetes are two to four times more likely to develop heart disease  or stroke than adults without diabetes. If you have diabetes or are at  risk for developing diabetes, treating your diabetes or controlling your risk factors is the best way to prevent cardiovascular disease. 

read more

HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

 Having high blood pressure puts stress on a person’s heart, causing an  increased risk for stroke, heart attack, kidney failure and congestive  heart failure. A higher percentage of men than women have high blood  pressure before the age of 45. Men who have high blood pressure, in  addition to being obese, a smoker or diabetic, have a significantly  higher risk of developing coronary heart disease. 

read more

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