Top 20 Heart Questions

Family History of
Early Heart Attack

Q: My father, 57, just had his second heart attack. I am 34 and a little overweight. What steps should I take to make sure my heart is OK? Should I ask my doctor for specific tests?

A: Parental history of coronary heart disease is indeed a risk factor. And if your parents had coronary heart disease before the age of 60, you are at a higher risk of developing arterial plaque buildup, which underlies most heart disease.
 
At age 34, it is important that you live a heart-healthy lifestyle and get screened for the risk factors of heart disease. This means getting your blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol checked on a yearly basis. If there are abnormal results, your doctor may recommend more frequent monitoring.

In addition, make sure to be physically active, eat a heart-healthy diet, avoid tobacco products and secondary smoke, and maintain a healthy weight.

Because of your family history, your doctor may also order a simple noninvasive test, such as a carotid ultrasound or a heart scan, to look for early signs of heart disease or evidence of asymptomatic heart disease.

It is important to realize that despite your family history, you can decrease your chances of heart disease by leading a heart-healthy lifestyle and identifying and controlling as many of the standard risk factors as possible.

Jennifer H. Mieres, M.D., is director of nuclear cardiology and associate professor of clinical medicine at New York University. She’s also a spokeswoman for the American Heart Association.