Steps to Help Prevent Heart Disease

Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in men and women in the United States.

According to Dr. Andrew Gray, a Hawaii Pacific Health Medical Group cardiologist based at Pali Momi Medical Center, many of the heart problems he sees in patients are tied to common chronic health conditions.

"The vast majority of our patients have underlying chronic conditions like high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes, which largely are managed by our colleagues in primary care," Gray told Hawaii News Now "Sunrise" host Steve Uyehara.

"When they come to our office, it's really for evaluation for coronary artery disease, abnormal heart rhythm (such as atrial fibrillation), heart failure and valvular heart disease," Gray explained.

Gray appeared on the morning show during American Heart Month, a time to help raise awareness about heart conditions. One condition Gray noted he sees frequently is coronary heart disease.

What Is Coronary Heart Disease?

"Coronary heart disease is the buildup of fat and cholesterol plaque in the blood vessels that supply our heart with blood. This is a process that starts early on in our adult life and slowly builds over time, putting patients at risk for things like heart attacks and strokes. It's the same process that happens in the blood vessels in our brains, which causes most of our strokes," he said.

This accumulation of fat starts when fat embeds itself into the wall of a blood vessel. Cholesterol builds on top of that, and over time, it decreases the amount of blood flow in that area.

"The whole driving factor of this process is inflammation, and really a chronic state of inflammation that's caused by those chronic conditions like high blood pressure, high cholesterol and also obesity, kidney disease and, of course, smoking," Gray said. "Smoking is one of the worst things we can do for our health in general."

What Increases the Risk for Heart Disease?

While Gray identified diet as one factor that puts patients at a higher risk for developing coronary disease, he says other things that play a role include age and genetics.

"There are some patients who, unfortunately, have a genetic predisposition for coronary disease, even at a young age," he said.

However, he does share there are steps anyone can take to lower their personal risk for heart disease.

How to Reduce Heart Disease Risk

"A Mediterranean diet has been shown to help lower cardiovascular risk," Gray said. "This is a diet that is high in vegetables, fruits, whole grains and healthy oils like olive oils. When it comes to protein sources, lean meats such as turkey, chicken and fish are preferred."

He added that Mediterranean diets limit or avoid red meat, processed foods, refined carbohydrates, dairy and sugars.

Diet also is a key part in lowering high blood pressure, a common issue seen in Hawaii.

"Diet is the first line of defense in lowering blood pressure. We recommend that even before considering medications," he said.

One recommendation is to lower salt intake to less than 2,000mg a day, which can in turn lower blood pressure by up to 10-15 points.

Adding in 20-30 minutes of aerobic exercise a day can decrease it by another 5-8 points.

"The best news is that walking is enough when the heart's concerned," Gray said. "So go out and have a nice walk! Every little bit counts."

This segment originally aired Feb. 19, 2025, as part of the Hawaii News Now "Sunrise" Healthier Hawaii series. Watch the full broadcast here or below.

Published on: February 21, 2025