5- High blood pressure. Uncontrolled high blood pressure can result in hardening and
thickening of your arteries, narrowing the channel through which blood can flow.
6- Unhealthy blood cholesterol levels: High cholesterol can be caused by a high level of
low-density lipoprotein (LDL), known as the "bad" cholesterol. A low level of high-density
lipoprotein (HDL), known as the "good" cholesterol, can be a sign of atherosclerosis.
7- Insulin resistance / DM Diabetes is associated with an increased risk of coronary artery
disease. Type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease share similar risk factors, such as
obesity and high blood pressure.
8- Overweight or obesity. Excess weight typically worsens other risk factors.
9- Lack of physical activity: Inactivity can increase your risk of developing CAD
10- High stress. Unrelieved stress can increase you blood pressure which may damage your
arteries
11- Metabolic syndrome: Having at least three of the five following medical conditions:
abdominal (central) obesity, elevated blood pressure, high triglycerides, and low high-
density lipoprotein (HDL) levels.
Other possible risk factors, includes:

Sleep apnea. This disorder causes you to stop and start breathing many times while you're
sleeping. Sudden drops in blood oxygen levels that occur during sleep apnea increase
blood pressure and strain the heart, possibly leading to coronary artery disease.

High sensitivity C-reactive protein. High sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) is a
normal protein that appears in higher amounts when there's inflammation somewhere in
your body.

High triglycerides. This is a type of fat (lipid) in your blood. High levels may raise the
risk of coronary artery disease, especially for women.

Pre-eclampsia: This is high blood pressure during pregnancy, can be linked to an increase
lifetime risk of heart disease including heart attack, heart failure and high blood pressure
and coronary artery disease.
22

---