Revista de enfermedades coronarias

Prevalence and Cardiovascular Health Impact on Family

Abstract

Quanhe Yang

Despite lowering Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) death rates, heart disease remains the primary cause of death. Family history of heart disease is a significant risk factor that has long been linked to heart disease. The INTERHEART (Effect of Potentially Modifiable Risk Factors Associated with Myocardial Infarction) study was used to determine the relationship between Myocardial Infarction (MI) and parental history of MI. Shared genetic, environmental, and behavioural factors may contribute to an elevated risk of heart disease due to family history. With the early beginning of heart disease in the family and the number of persons affected, genetic factors play a larger role in the increased familial risk of heart disease. Genetic conditions, most commonly familial hypercholesterolemia, account for a small proportion of excess familial risk, but causes of most familial cases of heart disease remain unknown. Because a positive family history of early heart disease is a known risk factor for heart disease, it's crucial to assess its public health impact in terms of population prevalence of family history of heart disease, as well as the burden of heart disease attributed to family history. Because the survey is population-based, representative, and weighted, and collects information on heart disease, heart disease risk factors, and family history of premature heart disease, NHANES (The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) provides a unique opportunity to conduct such an analysis.