What is a family history of heart disease?

Family history is a record of chronic health conditions that family members have or had. A cardiac family history focuses on close blood relatives who have had conditions affecting their heart.

Why is it important to know my family history of heart disease?

Many genes can lead to heart disease. If these genes are present in your family, you are more likely to experience heart disease. People with a family history of heart disease face a 75% higher risk of having heart disease than people without a family history.

How can this information help me?

Understanding your family history makes it possible for healthcare providers to predict your personal heart disease risk.

Heart disease typically does not cause symptoms in the early stages. If you face a higher risk due to family history, healthcare providers can take extra steps to manage the risk. This may include lifestyle recommendations, regular testing and medications to lower the likelihood of severe conditions, like a heart attack.

What do healthcare providers consider a family history of heart disease?

Cardiac family history includes people who are living as well as those who have passed away and are:

• First-degree relatives, such as your parents, siblings and children.
• Second-degree relatives, which are your grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces or nephews.

What other information do I need to know?

Additional aspects of your heart disease family history that are helpful to know include:

• Conditions your relatives have or had.
• Age of diagnosis.
• Cause of death if no longer living.

Which heart conditions should I include in my family history?

It’s important to keep track of heart conditions that run in families. These include:

• Arrhythmia.
• Angina.
• Aortic aneurysm.
• Congenital heart disease.
• Coronary artery disease.
• Heart attack.
• Heart failure.
• Heart muscle disease (cardiomyopathy).
• Sudden cardiac arrest.

Healthcare providers may also want to know about certain vascular conditions family members have experienced. These include:

• Blood clots.
• Deep vein thrombosis.
• Stroke.

Why is the age of diagnosis important?

You might have a strong family history of heart disease if relatives were a certain age at diagnosis. This means you face an even higher risk of heart issues.

A strong family history exists if first-degree relatives are or were:

• Men and 55 years or younger at diagnosis.
• Women and 65 years or younger at diagnosis.

Are there other aspects of my family history that affect my heart disease risk?

In addition to genes, families often share habits and environmental risks that can lead to heart disease. These include:

• Eating a diet that’s high in salt, fat, sugar or processed foods.
• Having unhealthy habits, like smoking, drinking alcohol, not being physically active and not managing stress.
• Living in a community with polluted air and water.

Are there other health conditions that cause concern?

You may face a higher risk of heart disease if other conditions affecting heart health run in your family. These include:

• Diabetes.
• High cholesterol.
• High blood pressure.

What happens if my family health history puts me at a higher risk of heart disease?

If you have a higher risk, healthcare providers may:

• Start you on preventive medications, like blood thinners (anticoagulants) or beta-blockers.
• Perform regular heart disease screenings to determine whether symptoms are progressing.
• Refer you to a cardiologist for ongoing specialized care.

You can also take care of your heart by:

• Being physically active.
• Eating a nutritious diet with heart-healthy foods.
• Limiting alcohol consumption.
• Managing stress levels and mental health concerns.
• Quitting smoking if you use tobacco.

What else is important to know about my family’s history of heart disease?

Having a cardiac family history does not always mean you’ll have a heart condition. And if your healthcare provider does diagnose you with heart disease, the severity and outcomes you experience might not be the same as your family members.

What if I don’t know my family history?

Knowing your family history is helpful but not essential to protecting your heart health. If you don’t have this information, there are still steps that your healthcare provider can take to predict your heart disease risk. They can review your personal health history and check your blood pressure and cholesterol.

A note from Cleveland Clinic

Cardiac family history can increase your risk of developing conditions such as arrhythmia, cardiomyopathy and coronary artery disease. Let healthcare providers know if you have any blood relatives who have experienced these conditions. Having a family history does not always mean you’ll end up with heart disease. You can lower your risk even further by living a heart-healthy lifestyle.