Many cardiac disorders can be inherited
, including arrhythmias, congenital heart disease, cardiomyopathy, and high blood cholesterol. Coronary artery disease leading to heart attack, stroke, and heart failure can run in families, indicating inherited genetic risk factors.
Who is most at risk for heart disease?
- Increasing Age. The majority of people who die of coronary heart disease are 65 or older. …
- Male gender. …
- Heredity (including race) …
- Tobacco smoke. …
- High blood cholesterol. …
- High blood pressure. …
- Physical inactivity. …
- Obesity and being overweight.
Can you get heart disease without family history?
It might develop with no symptoms or family history
—until you end up in the hospital. Even if you don’t have a family history, the only way to know for sure that your heart is healthy is to get it checked. Heart disease, also called cardiovascular disease, can lead to a heart attack, stroke, or other serious issues.
What counts as a family history of heart disease?
A family history of heart disease is generally defined by having a
first-degree male relative (i.e., father or brother) who had a heart attack by age 55
, or a first-degree female relative (i.e., mother or sister) by age 65. Just as important, consider lifestyle changes that improve your heart health.
Does family history play a role in heart disease?
“A family history of premature heart disease
is a significant risk factor
. But, just like other risk factors such as high blood pressure, high blood sugar or cholesterol, it can be controlled with lifestyle changes.”
What increases your risk of heart disease?
Several health conditions, your lifestyle, and your age and family history
can increase your risk for heart disease. These are called risk factors. About half of all Americans (47%) have at least 1 of 3 key risk factors for heart disease: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking.
What age group is most affected by heart disease?
Adults age 65 and older
are more likely than younger people to suffer from cardiovascular disease, which is problems with the heart, blood vessels, or both. Aging can cause changes in the heart and blood vessels that may increase a person’s risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
How can you prevent heart disease if it runs in the family?
- eating a healthy diet,
- being physically active,
- maintaining a healthy weight,
- not smoking,
- limiting your alcohol use,
- checking your cholesterol,
- controlling your blood pressure,
- managing your diabetes, if you have it,
Does heart disease come from mother or father?
Most genetic heart conditions are inherited in
an autosomal dominant pattern
. Autosomal means that both men and women are equally affected. Dominant means that although there are two copies of each gene, a mutation in just one copy is enough to cause disease.
How do you check for heart disease?
- electrocardiogram (ECG)
- exercise stress tests.
- X-rays.
- echocardiogram.
- blood tests.
- coronary angiography.
- radionuclide tests.
- MRI scans.
Should I see a cardiologist if I have a family history of heart disease?
“You
are at increased risk
if you have a parent or sibling with a history of heart disease before age 55 for males or 65 for females,” Dr. Jellis says. If that describes you, she recommends seeing a cardiologist sooner than later.
Can hereditary heart disease be prevented?
In fact, a 2016 study in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) showed that lifestyle factors can overrule heredity. The study found that making even a relatively modest effort to live healthfully can cut your risk of heart disease by up
to 50 percent
.
What should you do if you have heart disease in your family?
- eating a healthy diet,
- being physically active,
- maintaining a healthy weight,
- not smoking,
- limiting your alcohol use,
- checking your cholesterol,
- controlling your blood pressure,
- managing your diabetes, if you have it,
What are the signs of an unhealthy heart?
- Chest pain, chest tightness, chest pressure and chest discomfort (angina)
- Shortness of breath.
- Pain, numbness, weakness or coldness in your legs or arms if the blood vessels in those parts of your body are narrowed.
- Pain in the neck, jaw, throat, upper abdomen or back.
What are the 5 risk factors of heart disease?
There are five important heart disease risk factors that you can control. A
poor diet, high blood pressure and cholesterol, stress, smoking and obesity
are factors shaped by your lifestyle and can be improved through behavior modifications. Risk factors that cannot be controlled include family history, age and gender.
What are the 4 stages of congestive heart failure?
There are four stages of heart failure –
stage A, B, C and D
– which range from high risk of developing heart failure to advanced heart failure.
