Do you have a family history of heart disease?

If you have a family health history of heart disease, you are more likely to develop heart disease. Different types of heart disease and related conditions, like high blood pressure and high cholesterol, can run in families. Therefore, discussing your family's history with your healthcare provider is important.

According to Sai Krishna C. Korada, M.D., Fellowship-trained in Cardiology and Board-Certified in Internal Medicine at Genesis HealthCare System, you should share information with your provider to create a good picture of your family's heart health information like:

• What you know about your parents, sisters, brothers, children, grandparents, grandchildren, aunts and uncles’ health.
• Family history on your mother's and father's sides of the family.
• Which relatives have had heart disease, related conditions or procedures and the age at which they were diagnosed or treated.
• List the age and cause of death for relatives who have died.
• Regularly update your family health history and alert your doctor to any new diagnosis, condition or procedure.
• If your father, mother, brother or sister had a heart attack before age 50, your risk of heart disease, heart attack and stroke might be increased.

“Knowing your family’s history is essential for heart disease screening, as conditions like hypertension, high cholesterol, coronary artery disease, arrhythmias, heart failure and even congenital heart defects often run in families,” said Dr. Korada. “This knowledge helps your cardiologist determine your risk of cardiovascular disease, allowing for more personalized and effective prevention strategies.”