Heart Disease and Family History

(LifeWire) - There are two kinds of risk factors for heart disease: those you can control and those you can't, such as your family history.

Even though you can't change your genetic makeup, though, don't throw up your hands in despair. Yes, heart disease can be passed down the family tree, but you can reduce your own personal risk with solid knowledge and a healthy lifestyle.

You can assess whether you have a genetic basis for heart disease by asking yourself the classic five Ws: Who, What, When, Where and Why

1. Who in your family has had heart disease? The most important relatives to think about are those that are considered "first degree" (that is, your parents and siblings). Furthermore, a Johns Hopkins University study demonstrated that your siblings' health history is even more important than your parents'. People whose siblings have a history of heart disease carry a much greater likelihood of developing heart disease themselves than if only their parents had the condition.
2. What kinds of heart disease-related conditions have your relatives had? Find out about any conditions your relatives have experienced that may be related to heart disease. This includes not only actual heart attacks, but angina (chest pain), strokes and even high blood pressure, high cholesterol, obesity and diabetes.
3. When did family members first develop heart disease? Your risk is greater if your parents or siblings began having heart problems at a younger age. If they didn't develop problems until they were in their 90s, for example, their problems may have been age-related rather than genetic.
4. Where does your family come from? Where your family originates from can also be a piece of the heart disease risk puzzle. For example, African Americans have a higher risk of heart disease, as do Americans of Mexican, Native American, native Hawaiian and Asian descent.
5. Why are family members developing heart disease? Maybe it's because of other risk factors that are modifiable. Find out if your family members developed heart disease because of behaviors or conditions that you can exert some control over, such as:

• Obesity
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol levels
• High triglycerides
• Diabetes
• Smoking
• Excess use of alcohol
• Inactivity

You should also ask yourself about other patterns of family behavior that might put you at risk for heart disease. For example:

• Does your family eat a generally healthy diet? If not, think about consulting a nutritionist to teach you and your family members about healthy eating.
• Does your family culture include exercise? Use physical activities like walking, bicycling or swimming to promote family togetherness. This will also get you away from the TV--being a couch potato is notorious for encouraging an unhealthy sedentary lifestyle, as well as promoting unhealthy snacking.

If you realize that you do have a higher risk of heart disease due to your family history, you will want to exert as much control as possible over environmental factors. You will also want to start addressing these things as early as possible. Some of the things you can do include:

• Reach and maintain a healthy weight.
• Keep your blood pressure under good control.
• Find out if you have prediabetes; if you do, consider consulting a nutritionist and developing a healthy diet that may hinder the development of full-fledged diabetes.
• Keep track of your cholesterol and triglycerides. If you have high levels, modify your diet to include lots of fruit and vegetables, fiber and small amounts of dietary fat and cholesterol. Find out whether you should be using a cholesterol-lowering medication to improve your levels.
• Ask your doctor whether you should be taking a small daily dose of aspirin.
• Participate in a regular exercise program.
• Stop smoking, if you smoke.
• Drink alcohol moderately, if you drink.

Last, but not least, consider therapy to help you cope with stress or even family therapy to break unhealthy lifestyle patterns.

Read more about reducing your risk for heart disease here.

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