Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the major cause of
heart attacks. So the more risk factors you have for
CAD, the greater your risk for unstable angina or a heart attack. The main risks for CAD are:
Use the
heart attack risk calculator 
to estimate your risk of having a heart attack
over 10 years.
Women and heart disease
Women have unique risk factors for heart disease, including birth control pills and hormone replacement therapy. These things can raise a woman's risk for a heart attack or stroke.
See the topic Women and Coronary Artery Disease for more information on risk, symptoms, and prevention of heart disease.
C-reactive protein (CRP)
A type of protein in your blood may help find your risk of a heart attack. This protein is called a high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP). It is found with a C-reactive protein (CRP) blood test. This test may help find your risk for a heart attack, especially when it is considered along with other risk factors such as cholesterol, age, blood pressure, and smoking. But the connection between high CRP
levels and heart disease risk is not understood very well.
NSAIDs
Most
nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which
are used to relieve pain and fever and reduce swelling and inflammation, may
increase the risk of heart attack. This risk is greater if you take NSAIDs at
higher doses or for long periods of time. People who are older than 65 or who
have existing heart, stomach, or intestinal disease are more likely to have
problems.
Aspirin, unlike other NSAIDs, has been shown to reduce
the risk of heart attack and stroke. But it also carries the risks of serious
stomach and intestinal bleeding as well as skin reactions. Regular use of other
NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen, may make aspirin less effective in preventing heart
attack and stroke.
For information on how to prevent a heart attack, see the Prevention section of this topic.
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