Mike Gonzoles is a 55-year-old engineer. He and his wife, Carol, have been married for 30 years and have two grown children and one granddaughter. Mike is looking forward to retirement when he turns 62, though the older he gets, the more concerned he becomes about his health. His father died suddenly at the age of 60 from undiagnosed causes, and his sister died several years ago at the age of 58 from an acute myocardial infarction.
Mike knows he needs to exercise more, but right now he works nine hours a day in an office where he rarely gets up to walk around. His work is stressful, which he believes contributes to his high blood pressure. In the evenings all he wants to do is relax and watch his favorite TV shows. When his granddaughter comes to visit, he enjoys watching her run around and play, but can’t find the energy to join in the fun.
Mike believes he eats a well-balanced diet of meats, fruits and vegetables — there is always lettuce and tomato on his burger and he loves apple pie. Even though his cholesterol is high, he still uses butter on his bread and cream in his coffee. He is on medication for high cholesterol and high blood pressure, so he assumes both are within normal ranges. On weekends, he often socializes with friends and sometimes drinks too many cocktails.
