Genetics of Heart Disease

Genetic heart disease, as defined by The Women's Heart Foundation, refers to diseases or conditions that manifest in adulthood that are related to family links or family history. The American Heart Association reports that heart disease is the leading cause of death for both men and women in the United States. In 2005, the American Heart Association estimated that 652,091 people passed away from heart disease. This year, the CDC has determined that treatment for heart disease will have an estimated cost of $304.6 million.

The Genetic Link

• Individuals can become more prone to develop heart disease based on their family history. There are two ways that genetics are a factor. One way is the passing on of genes at birth that cause heart disease, or conditions that increase the risk of heart disease. The other way is through the family environment where one is raised.

Genetic Factors

• Children of diabetic parents are likely to become diabetics themselves. Children of overweight parents are likely to be overweight. Children of parents with high cholesterol are likely to have high cholesterol as adults. All of these conditions that cause heart disease in adulthood can be affected by the passing on of specific genes or the passing on of poor eating habits. For instance, an individual who is overweight due to eating improperly is more prone to be diabetic, have high cholesterol, and develop heart disease.

  However, there are some factors for heart disease that are strictly related to the environment one is raised in. For example, if parents were poor exercisers, their children will likely not exercise enough. Children of smokers are likely to smoke. Even if they decide not to smoke, years of exposure to second hand smoke can make children more at risk for heart disease as an adult.

When Genetics Increase Risk

• Family history increases risk when someone else in the family has suffered from heart disease or passed away due to some type of heart disease. Statistics show that men suffer from heart disease as much as ten years earlier than women. If an individual's brother, father, or grandfather has suffered from heart disease before the age of 55, he is twice as likely to develop heart disease. If an individual's sister, mother, or grandmother suffered from heart disease before the age of 65, she is also twice as likely to develop heart disease. In addition, these individuals are also much more prone to having another risk factor that also makes them prone to heart disease. Lastly, if someone has had a heart attack already, he is much more prone to suffer from a second heart attack in the future.

Preventing Controllable Factors

• If an individual is prone to heart disease due to family history or environment, there are certain steps that one can take to prevent from following in the footsteps of their parents. Many times genetic heart disease is preventable simply by not following the example set forth by a parent. For instance, one can control how much they eat, what they eat, the amount of exercise they do, and whether or not they smoke. Controlling one's diet and other activities prevents the onset of diabetes, high cholesterol and other risk factors of heart disease.

Preventing True Genetic Factors

• Sometimes, though, individuals simply have high cholesterol and diabetes because of family genes. If this is the case and one's family has a history of heart disease as well, they should take proper precautions. The number one step is to be sure to share family history with a physician. There are medications that can control ailments such as diabetes, to minimize the risk of heart disease caused by these illnesses. High blood pressure, another leading cause of genetic heart disease, can also be controlled with medication.