Family History of Heart Conditions Myths Debunked

Key Takeaways:
Family history can increase your risk of heart disease, but it does not make heart conditions inevitable. Lifestyle factors such as diet, exercise, weight management, and stress control often play a larger role in heart health outcomes than genetics. Even without a family history, anyone can develop heart disease, which makes healthy habits and regular screenings essential for prevention and early detection.

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), heart disease accounts for nearly 700,000 fatalities a year. While there are many potential causes of cardiovascular disease and other heart conditions, the role of genetics and family history is often one of the most misunderstood factors. While family history contributes to your risk of heart conditions, other factors such as lifestyle choices often play a bigger role in actual heart health outcomes.

Below, we’ll look at some of the most common myths and misconceptions associated with family history of heart conditions and provide the accurate information you need to know to avoid unnecessary anxiety or, conversely, complacency that can be detrimental to your heart health.

Myth: Family History Means Heart Disease Is Inevitable

Many people believe that if they have a family history of heart disease, they are destined to develop the condition as well. It’s true that having a parent or sibling with heart disease increases your risk of the condition – research has found that having a sibling with heart disease increases your risk by 40% while having a parent with heart disease increases your risk by 60-75%. It’s also true that certain conditions which increase your risk of heart disease, such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol, have a genetic component to them. However, this doesn’t mean that you will definitely develop heart disease simply because of your family history.

For many people, lifestyle factors have a bigger impact on your heart health than genetics. If you have a family history of heart conditions, there are steps you can take to significantly reduce your personal risk. These include:

• Exercising regularly
• Eating a balanced, healthy diet
• Avoiding tobacco
• Managing stress
• Maintaining a heart healthy weight
• Controlling your blood sugar
• Managing your blood pressure
• Getting quality sleep

Adopting these healthy lifestyle habits will go a long way to counteracting the heart health risks posed by your family history.

Myth: No Family History Means No Risk of Heart Conditions

There is a common misconception that individuals without a family history of heart conditions aren’t at risk of developing one. This is simply not true. Anyone can develop heart disease, and in some instances family history may be unknown or underreported. Don’t just assume you won’t develop heart disease simply because you don’t have a prominent family history of heart conditions.

According to research from the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, only 47% of individuals with heart disease have a family history of the condition. In other words, more than half of the people with heart disease develop it without the presence of an obvious genetic link.

As discussed above, lifestyle choices often play a greater role in developing heart disease than family history. Eating an unhealthy diet, living a sedentary lifestyle, smoking and obesity can all significantly increase your risk of heart disease, causing you to develop a cardiovascular condition even without a known genetic predisposition.

Myth: Family History Is More Important than Lifestyle Factors

We’ve discussed this in the myths above, but this is still a common misconception that should be addressed on its own. While family history of heart conditions is an important risk factor to be aware of, your lifestyle will generally play a larger role in your overall risk of developing a heart condition. Living a healthy lifestyle that prioritizes regular exercise, a heart healthy diet and proper stress management can significantly reduce your risk of heart disease. Similarly, quitting smoking and reducing alcohol intake will further reduce your risk.

If you have a genetic predisposition to other conditions that contribute to heart disease, it’s important to monitor these from an early age. Managing your blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol can significantly lower your risk of heart disease. Knowing your family history of these conditions can play an important role in minimizing your risk of heart problems.

Myth: Inherited Forms of Heart Disease Can Skip a Generation

This is one of the most dangerous misconceptions associated with family history of heart conditions since it can lull you into a false sense of complacency. Inherited forms of heart disease pass more easily from one generation to the next. However, it’s possible for people with certain inherited forms of heart disease to not exhibit symptoms. This may lead you to believe the condition has skipped a generation when you may in fact have an undiagnosed form of heart disease.

This is why it’s critical to visit a cardiologist for regular diagnostic testing anytime you have a family history of heart disease, particularly inherited forms of the condition. Early diagnosis will allow you to begin treatment in the initial stages of a condition, and this can help you minimize the severity of your issue.

South Denver Cardiology Can Help

Having a family history of heart conditions should be a cause for concern, but it’s important to understand that the lifestyle choices you make can go a long way to minimizing the risks associated with your genetic predisposition. Living a healthy life and managing health conditions that contribute to heart disease can help protect your heart. In addition, undergoing routine diagnostic screenings when you have a family history of heart conditions or inherited forms of heart disease can ensure you catch any issues promptly and receive the timely treatment necessary to minimize complications associated with your heart condition.

At South Denver Cardiology, we provide comprehensive services to help you manage your heart health. We offer diagnostic testing for a variety of heart conditions, enabling you to detect issues in their earliest stages. We also offer clinical cardiology services to treat just about any heart condition you may have. We can also design a custom preventive cardiology program that helps you optimize your heart health when you have a family history.

If you’re interested in making lifestyle adjustments that will lower your risk of cardiovascular disease and other heart conditions, our team can help:

• The exercise specialists at our Medical Fitness Gym can design a customized program to help you achieve your fitness goals while ensuring your workouts are safe for your heart
• Our nutritional consulting services can help you adopt a heart healthy diet that will minimize your risk of cardiovascular issues
• Our medical weight loss clinic can help you achieve and maintain a heart healthy weight
• Our Mind/Body Studio offers a variety of services that will help you manage stress to lower your risk of heart disease

Contact us today to schedule an appointment. South Denver Cardiology serves patients in Denver, Littleton and the surrounding areas.