Do You Know Your Family Health History?

Family history is a risk factor for heart disease (or any disease) that cannot be changed.  However, being informed of your family's health history, treating and controlling any other risk factors you have could be key in protecting you from heart disease.

What is a family health history?

A family health history is a record of a person's current and past illnesses, and those of his or her parents, brothers, sisters, children and other blood relatives. A family health history shows the pattern of certain diseases in a family, and helps to determine risk factors for
those and other diseases.

What can you do if cardiovascular disease is in your family's health history?

• Talk to your healthcare providerabout your family health history of cardiovascular disease
•  
  Make a plan to preserve your health
• Regular screening and risk assessment by a healthcare provider
• Engage in healthy behavior

How can I obtain my family health history?

To learn more about your family health history, you should ask questions and collect information about grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews, siblings and other blood relatives, including:

• major medical conditions
• causes of death
•  
  a ge of disease onset and age at death
• ethnic background