What Are Some Of The Risk Factors For Heart Disease That May Develop During Chidlhood?

— -- Question: What are some of the risk factors for heart disease that may develop during chidlhood?

Answer: Adult coronary artery disease starts in childhood. In all likelihood most patients that are adults that have coronary disease had problems in childhood that set them up for developing problems later. These are obesity, high blood pressure, and a family history of coronary disease is an extremely important risk factor.

So children -- if they're obese and have high blood pressure and have a family history -- are automatically in a higher risk group for getting coronary disease when they're older.

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