HEREDITARY RISK FACTORS: Certain risk factors are hereditary. For instance, if one or more of your immediate relatives died of a heart attack before age 60, you are at greater risk than if no one in your family suffered a fatal heart attack before that age. If high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels or diabetes runs in your family, there is a greater possibility that you may suffer from these heart-threatening conditions. PERSONAL RISK FACTORS: Personal risk factors refer to your age, sex and ethnic background . As a group, women have fewer heart attacks and have them at an older age than men. However, the risk for postmenopausal women rises to equal that of men. Women under the age of 55 are at least risk, while men over the age of 65 are at greatest risk. Your ethnic background can also affect your heart disease risk, since some ethnic groups have higher rates of medical conditions that can affect heart disease. African-American, for example, have more severe hypertension and Native Americans are more prone to diabetes. Consequently, their risk of heart disease is greater.

If you or your family members have any questions, please feel free to contact your Ohio Valley HeartCare cardiologist or medical specialist at (800) 26-HEART.