Step 1
So, how's your mum?
Researchers have long believed that having a close family member (mum, dad, sister, or brother) with cardiovascular disease was one of the clearest predictors of heart trouble in your own future. But according to a 2006 Swedish study, it's really Mum you need to worry about. Your risk increases by 17 percent if your father has heart disease, but it shoots up by a whopping 43 percent if your mother is afflicted. This may be more environment than genetics, since children typically spend more time with their mothers and tend to learn lifestyle habits from them. But even if you don't smoke and do exercise, it's possible that your risk could still be up as much as 82 percent if both of your parents had heart disease.
Which doesn't mean you're doomed, of course. But it does mean you shouldn't waste any time. If you have a family history, specialists recommend in-depth tests that go beyond the normal blood workup every few years, starting in your mid*40s. First, talk to your doctor about having a CT scan of your heart, which can detect attack-causing plaque buildup in your arteries — even years in advance.
All women should request more detailed blood tests that measure not only the level of cholesterol but its type and size — factors that affect the heart in ways that scientists are only now beginning to understand. Talk to your doctor about a standard lipid profile. A blood test can also detect the presence of C-reactive protein in the bloodstream, which may contribute to plaque formation. More prevalent in people who are overweight, sedentary, hypertensive, or smokers, C-reactive protein's presence accurately predicts the likelihood of heart attacks in women with relatively low cholesterol, and researchers speculate that it could signal heart disease before symptoms develop. Ask your doctor to check your numbers next time you get blood work done.
this is an 8 part feature focusing on ways to keep your heart beating for a very long time.
No comments:
Post a Comment