As if heart disease and cancer the two leading causes of death in the country were not devastating enough on their own, a new study has found that the likelihood of facing both in one’s lifetime is far higher than anyone would like to believe.
People who have heart disease, including a heart attack, heart failure or an irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation, may have more than a sevenfold increased risk for getting cancer, according to results of a new study presented at American Heart Association's big annual meeting of heart doctors.
Read More7 Ways to Cut Your Risk of Heart Disease -- And, In Turn, Cancer
The good news with these risk factors is that we can avoid them with simple choices. The American Heart Association's "Life's Simple 7" ways that people can cut their risk for heart disease include:- Managing blood pressure
- Controlling your cholesterol
- Reducing your blood sugar
- Staying active
- Shedding extra weight
- Avoiding cigarettes
What’s Behind the Link?
Even though Dr. Lau was careful to explain that this study was an association study — meaning it doesn't prove anything about whether heart disease causes cancer or vice versa — she did suggest that it could lead to further research about a biological link between the two conditions.
What doctors do know with certainty, however and this is really when it comes to preventing both conditions is that a lot of the lifestyle factors that increase the risk of heart disease also increase the risk of cancer. “Several risk factors such as age, smoking, diabetes mellitus, and obesity are established risk factors for both cancer and cardiovascular disease,” Dr. Finet told SurvivorNet.
These common risk factors also include:
- Smoking
- A lack of physical exercise
- Poor diet
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.
