Should I Get Tested If There Is A History Of Heart Attacks In My Family?
Dr. Douglas Weaver answers the question: 'Does My Family History Warrant Tests?'
— -- Question: Should I get tested if I have a family history of heart attack?
Answer: A family history is something your doctor will ask you about, particularly if he finds out that someone in your family has premature coronary disease.
By that I mean a brother or sister who developed heart disease at a young age, or your father or your mother might have had heart disease at an early age.
We know, for instance, that cholesterol is a potential risk factor for coronary artery disease. If your father had high cholesterol, you run a 50-50 chance of also having high cholesterol.
So family history is very important to assess as one of the risk factors for coronary artery disease.
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