Risk factors for cardiovascular diseaseSpec 1.12
In short
A risk factor raises the probability of developing CVD without guaranteeing it. Genetics, diet high in saturated fat and salt, increasing age, being male, high blood pressure, smoking and inactivity all increase risk, mainly by damaging the artery lining, raising LDL cholesterol or blood pressure, or making clots more likely. Several risk factors together raise the risk far more than any one alone.
A risk factor is something that is linked to an increased probability of developing a disease. It does not mean that a person will definitely get the disease, and a person with no risk factors can still develop it.
| Risk factor | How it increases risk |
|---|---|
| Genetics | Inherited gene variants can affect blood cholesterol (for example high LDL), blood pressure and clotting, so a family history of CVD raises risk |
| Diet | High saturated fat raises LDL cholesterol; high salt raises blood pressure; both promote atherosclerosis |
| Age | Risk rises with age: endothelial damage and plaque build up over many years, and arteries lose elasticity |
| Gender | Men are at higher risk, and at a younger age, than women; the risk for women rises after the menopause |
| High blood pressure | Damages the endothelium, so LDL enters the wall and plaques form faster; it also strains the heart |
| Smoking | Carbon monoxide binds to haemoglobin and reduces oxygen transport; nicotine raises heart rate and blood pressure; chemicals damage the endothelium; platelets become stickier, so clots form more easily |
| Inactivity | Associated with raised blood pressure, higher LDL and lower HDL, and with obesity |
Risk factors combine. A smoker who also has high blood pressure and a diet high in saturated fat has a much greater risk than the effect of any one factor alone, because each adds to the damage to the artery wall.
Write 'increases the risk of' rather than 'causes', and give the mechanism: damage to endothelium, raised LDL, raised blood pressure or more likely clotting.
Written and checked against the Edexcel International AS Level Biology (XBI11) specification · Updated October 2026