SUNDAY, Feb. 4, 2018 (HealthDay News) -- Heart disease is a leading cause of death in the United States, but there are a number of things you can do to protect yourself, a cardiologist says.

"Heart disease kills hundreds of thousands of Americans each year, but many of these conditions are preventable," said researcher Dr. David Slotwiner, chief of the division of cardiology at NewYork-Presbyterian Queens.

"Exercise, a balanced diet and avoiding high-risk activities like smoking are some of the best ways to keep your heart healthy," he said in a hospital news release.