Most people know that your family's medical history is an important part of your own medical history. It helps you to understand what kinds of health problems you may be more likely to acquire, based on your genetic make-up.
A new study, however, suggests that young women with a family history of heart attack are less likely to understand their risk for heart disease and more likely to make poor lifestyle choices that increase their risk. Researchers analyzed data from nearly 2,500 men and women ages 30-50 who participated in the Dallas Heart Study and who had a family history of premature heart attacks. They defined family as a first degree relative (i.e., mother, father) and "premature" as a male family member who had a heart attack before age 50 and a female family member who had a heart attack before age 55.
They found that compared to women with no family history of heart attack, having such a family history was linked to having 2 or more traditional risk factors for heart disease (i.e., high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, and smoking). The investigators did not find this association for men. They also found that women with a family history of heart attack were more likely to have coronary artery calcification, or buildup in the walls of the arteries in the heart. This build-up matched that for men without a family history of heart attack. Women with a family history of heart attack also were less likely to make healthy lifestyle choices. They smoked more and exercised less than men with the same family risk. Finally, fewer women with a family history of heart attack perceived their risk of heart attack to be as high as men with the same family history.
These findings are not surprising, but they are concerning. Men typically have been the focus of research and education on heart disease. Consequently, women may underestimate their actual risk, despite their family histories. Yet this is a dangerous precedent, as heart disease is the number one cause of death for women just as it is for men.
If you are among the women with a family history of heart disease, know the risk factors, including which ones you can control. Then make those healthy lifestyle choices - stop smoking, eat less fat, move your body, and limit stress. This is not just a men's disease, and you can be affected.
A new study, however, suggests that young women with a family history of heart attack are less likely to understand their risk for heart disease and more likely to make poor lifestyle choices that increase their risk. Researchers analyzed data from nearly 2,500 men and women ages 30-50 who participated in the Dallas Heart Study and who had a family history of premature heart attacks. They defined family as a first degree relative (i.e., mother, father) and "premature" as a male family member who had a heart attack before age 50 and a female family member who had a heart attack before age 55.
They found that compared to women with no family history of heart attack, having such a family history was linked to having 2 or more traditional risk factors for heart disease (i.e., high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, and smoking). The investigators did not find this association for men. They also found that women with a family history of heart attack were more likely to have coronary artery calcification, or buildup in the walls of the arteries in the heart. This build-up matched that for men without a family history of heart attack. Women with a family history of heart attack also were less likely to make healthy lifestyle choices. They smoked more and exercised less than men with the same family risk. Finally, fewer women with a family history of heart attack perceived their risk of heart attack to be as high as men with the same family history.
These findings are not surprising, but they are concerning. Men typically have been the focus of research and education on heart disease. Consequently, women may underestimate their actual risk, despite their family histories. Yet this is a dangerous precedent, as heart disease is the number one cause of death for women just as it is for men.
If you are among the women with a family history of heart disease, know the risk factors, including which ones you can control. Then make those healthy lifestyle choices - stop smoking, eat less fat, move your body, and limit stress. This is not just a men's disease, and you can be affected.
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