Is Your Heart Older Than You? 5 Things That Prematurely Age Your Heart Heart Health Family Health Men's Health Women's Health

On your next birthday, add seven candles to your cake to account for your heart age. That’s how much older the average adult heart is compared to its chronical age, thanks to these five things:

• high blood pressure
• high cholesterol 
• excess body weight 
• inactivity
• smoking

If you’ve been assuming your heart is aging right along with the rest of you, check this out: A 45-year-old, diabetic smoker with high blood pressure can have 75-year-old heart. But here’s the good news: Unlike real age, this one is adjustable, so when a 50-year-old smoker quits, they lower their heart age by 14 years.

Don’t let your old heart age the rest of you. Three out of four heart attacks are caused by some combination of these risk factors, so work with your provider to address the things that are putting added strain on your heart.

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