Whether your grandfather had a “bad ticker,” you lost a young family member to a sudden cardiac event, or one of your parents just had bypass surgery, it can be frightening to know you have a family history of heart disease.
But knowing about this inherited predisposition can help you protect your own health.
At Sunnyvale Cardiology in Sunnyvale, Texas, we know genetic tendencies aren’t a foregone conclusion — instead, you can make this information work for you. In this month’s blog, our expert team offers three must-take steps for anyone with a family history of heart disease.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States — and has been, for more than a century. Along with stroke, it claims more American lives every year than all forms of cancer and chronic lower respiratory disease combined.
About 30% of heart disease cases have a direct link to family history, making it a significant risk factor. To better grasp your inherited risk, gather specific details about heart conditions in close blood relatives (e.g., parents, grandparents, siblings):
Ask first- and second-degree relatives about any history or current diagnoses of heart attack, stroke, arrhythmias, congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease (CAD), cardiomyopathy, aneurysms, or any other heart problem.
Whenever possible, gather details about your relatives’ significant cardiovascular risk factors, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, carotid disease, and peripheral artery disease (PAD).
When diagnosed before the age of 55 in men or 65 in women, heart disease is “early-onset” and suggestive of a stronger genetic component. It’s important to note any relatives who were diagnosed with heart disease (or suffered a cardiac event) prior to the age of 50.
Take note of any close relative who died suddenly and unexpectedly, especially at a young age — such deaths are often linked to heart disease. Even a sudden death that’s labeled accidental (e.g., falling asleep while driving, drowning), may be linked to a cardiac event and undiagnosed heart condition.
Include heart treatments required by any close relatives, such as pacemaker or defibrillator use, cardiac bypass surgery, cardiac catheterization, or angioplasty with stent placement.
Once you have even a basic outline of your family heart health history — and even if you don’t have all the pieces of information you’re seeking — schedule a visit at Sunnyvale Cardiology.
Your compiled history, combined with our heart health screening, helps you move beyond general advice to a personalized plan. Your evaluation may include:
Get current readings of your “heart health numbers” to check the major modifiable risk factors for heart disease: blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar. Keep tabs on these numbers annually — or more often if your risk is high or they require medical management.
We’ll ask about your dietary patterns, exercise routine, sleep habits, and stress levels, as well as if you smoke or drink, to determine your lifestyle risk factors for heart disease.
Depending on your family history and personal risk factors, we may recommend a coronary calcium scan (to detect plaque buildup), an EKG, an echocardiogram, a stress test, an aortic aneurysm screening, or other diagnostic testing.
If specific inherited conditions — like familial hypercholesterolemia (severely high LDL or total cholesterol levels), arrhythmias, and cardiomyopathies — are present in your family, we may recommend genetic testing to gain further insight into your personal risk.
Luckily, most forms of heart disease are preventable through heart-healthy living patterns — even for those with a family history of heart disease.
Research shows that genes are responsible for 30-50% of blood pressure variation among people. Experts estimate that CAD, the most common form of heart disease, is about 50% genetic and 50% lifestyle.
What does this mean for you? It means that your lifestyle choices can either “turn off” or help mitigate genetic predispositions for heart disease. Protect your health by:
Of these, smoking cessation is the single most beneficial action you can take to improve heart health immediately. Adopting a whole-foods diet that limits processed foods, added sugars, sodium, and saturated fats — such as the Mediterranean diet or the DASH eating plan — can also deliver rapid benefits for your heart health.
Regular physical activity, which supports improved sleep and stress management, is also a must when it comes to managing your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels, controlling inflammation, and keeping your weight in check.
Ready to reduce your heart disease risk? Schedule a heart health screening today with our team at Sunnyvale Cardiology in Sunnyvale, Texas. Call 214-466-6943 to learn more, or use our online booking feature to make an appointment at your convenience.
