Ready to start an exercise program? That’s great, but before you start, I highly recommend that you get a health exam. Effective screening will help you identify any medical conditions or factors that put you at risk while exercising. The easiest and most effective way to do this is to work with your doctor to review your risk factors for coronary artery disease (CAD), the number one killer in the United States. The eight positive risk factors (ie increased risk of CHD) identified by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) are as follows:
1. Age. Men aged 45 and over and women aged 55 and over.
2. to smoke cigarettes. A current cigarette smoker or those who have quit within the last 6 months; or exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (ie passive smoking).
3. family history. Heart attack or sudden death before age 55 in father or male first-degree relative (eg, brother) or before age 65 in mother or female first-degree relative (eg, sister).
4. High blood pressure. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) e 140 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) e 90 mmHg, confirmed by measurements on at least two separate occasions; or on antihypertensive drugs.
5. High cholesterol. LDL cholesterol > 130 mg/dL or HDL cholesterol < 40 mg/dL; or on lipid lowering medication. If total serum cholesterol is all that is available use > 200mg/dl.
6. fasting blood sugar. A fasting blood glucose of 100 mg/dL but < 126 mg/dL confirmed on at least two separate occasions.
7. obesity. Body Mass Index > 30. Also, waist size > 40 inches (102 cm) for males and > 35 inches (88 cm) for females.
8th. Sedentary lifestyle. Individuals who do not get 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity most days of the week.
There is also a negative risk factor. A high serum HDL level > 60 mg/dL reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease. ACSM provides risk stratification to determine if you fall under a Low, Moderate or High risk Category. If you are at low risk, you can begin your exercise program. However, if you are either medium risk or high risk, I highly recommend that you have a full physical exam with your doctor before beginning any exercise program. This is especially important if you plan to do high-intensity exercise. Your doctor may have specific guidelines for exercises you can and cannot do, and he or she may want to perform an exercise test (e.g., stress test) before you can begin the program:
*Low Risk – Men and women who are asymptomatic (no existing disease or symptoms of disease) and have no more than one positive risk factor.
* Moderate Risk – Men and women who are asymptomatic but have two or more positive risk factors.
* High risk – Anyone with an existing medical condition or symptoms of a medical condition (eg, diabetes, asthma, kidney or liver disease, lung disease, cardiovascular disease, cystic fibrosis, angina, heart murmurs, dizziness, shortness of breath).
Thanks to Tyrone Holmes | #Assessing #Risks #Exercise #Program
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