One of the best tools you have for preserving your cardiovascular health is learning your family history. It helps healthcare providers recognize potential problems before symptoms develop. This gives you more control over your cardiovascular future through early diagnosis and preventive intervention.
Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States with almost 700,000 people dying from heart problems each year. The most common type of heart disease is coronary artery disease, which causes about 350,000 fatalities each year.
Your heart disease risk is significantly influenced by the health history of your first-degree relatives, which includes birth parents and siblings. If you have a close relative who has experienced a heart attack, a stroke, high blood pressure, Type 2 diabetes or high cholesterol, your own risk of getting these diseases rises.
Having a family history of heart disease may affect how you and your doctor approach your healthcare. This often means earlier heart-risk evaluations to identify silent development of factors like high blood pressure or excessive cholesterol when they are most manageable. If a distinct pattern of inherited disorders is found within your family, your doctor could advise genetic testing or send you to a specialist.
The good news is that you have great influence over many other variables that contribute to your risk for heart disease. Leading a healthier lifestyle can lower your chance of developing diseases that run in your family. Important changes you can make include:
- Increasing physical activity and regular daily movement.
- Eating a nutritious diet and maintaining a healthy body weight.
- Stopping smoking, which is a major cause of coronary artery disease.
- Managing existing conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol.
Proactive daily decisions (together with an awareness of your family history) can help you to significantly minimize your overall risk and preserve a healthier heart.
The team at Advanced Cardiovascular Specialists consists of North Louisiana’s leading experts in cardiovascular care. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call our office at (318) 798-9400.