Cardiovascular ailments continue to affect millions of men, and they can affect women, too, often leading to mortality. Over the decades, medical science has made great progress in detecting root causes of heart disorders and more effective treatments, and diagnostic tests have been discovered. However, certain factors remain out of control for the doctors.

Genetics is an area where medical science cannot alter much. Those with a history of cardiac disorders in the family naturally remain more susceptible to developing these disorders sometimes in life.

So, what is the role of heredity with risk factor for developing heart disease?
It is a grim reality that you cannot escape your genes, and if you are genetically inclined to develop cardiac problems, prevention can be a tough task. Dr. Zainulabedin Hamdulay, a cardiovascular surgeon, says family history proves to be a complex, risk factor for cardiac ailments.

You may surely do everything to keep heart healthy, robust, but even then you cannot eliminate genetic factors or flaws. Genetic factors play roles behind developing high blood pressure and diabetes, which are often linked to heart problems. Of course, the risks get compounded when factors like unhealthy lifestyle and improper diet are bundled.

While Heart disease is found to run in families, the susceptibility of developing these ailments also depends on ethnicity. Age is another major factor here.

What people with heart disease in heredity should know?
The first thing you can do is finding out information on the health records of your immediate relatives- including the parents and siblings. It is not important which one of your parents were affected, say the doctors. In some cases, the first-degree relatives may not be affected by cardiac ailments, but you should look at the health history of grandparents and other close relatives.

It may so happen the grandparents were exposed to the environment that led to the onset of heart ailments, but that was not the case with parents. The opposite can also take place in some cases.

It is also necessary to check out if several family members are affected by conditions that can lead to the onset of cardiac ailments. For example, you can check out if several relatives have conditions like high cholesterol and diabetes.

Sometimes, the environment and lifestyle of the family also play a role in enhancing the risk of a heart ailment in people. Families where junk foods are eaten more than healthy food can have member more prone to developing such ailment.

The ways to detect your risk for heart disease
If there is a history of heart disorders affecting people in the family, you can check out for a few markers- say the heart health experts. There are specific medical diagnostic tests that can be used to find out if you are vulnerable to developing heart disorders in future or not.

Special blood tests can be conducted to reveal markers like enhanced levels of lipoprotein in the blood. Similarly, a coronary calcium scan may reveal a deposit of calcium in artery walls-which is considered as a precursor to cardiac ailments.

Ways to lower the risk of developing heart disorders
When you discover you are genetically prone to developing heart ailments, you can adopt some steps that help in lowering your risk to an extent. If you discuss and share your family’s record of heart disorder with the doctor, you can get specifically designed strategy to lower your risk of developing cardiac complications in the long run.

You cannot alter the genes, for sure. However, it is possible to make certain changes in lifestyle and diet that can bring down the risk considerably. In some instances, genetic effects may not be so strong or get diluted.

Listed below are some measures that can be used to lower the risk of developing heart diseases even if you are genetically susceptible:

• Giving up smoking- Smoking nicotine in any form is not only bad for your lungs; it can be detrimental for cardiac health too. Those with a family history of heart disorders should avoid smoking in all forms to stay on the safe side.
• Controlling alcohol intake- Drinking alcohol in excess amounts is detrimental to the liver, but it does not do good for cardiac health either. It can lead to a disorder of the heart muscles, denoted as cardiomyopathy. Besides, heavy alcohol drinking can raise blood pressure levels. So you can cut down on boozing to lower risk of cardiac health issues.
• Monitoring blood pressure-Elevated blood preside levels is not good for heart health-beyond any doubt. So it is necessary that you get blood pressure checked a few times every year. Some people benefit from taking blood pressure controlling medications.
• Monitoring cholesterol levels- Much like blood pressure, high cholesterol is detrimental to cardiac health. So, it is quite necessary to get cholesterol levels checked every year. You may benefit from getting a diet tailor-made for keeping cholesterol low.
• Managing diabetes- Diabetes is often called the precursor to develop cardiac diseases. If you have diabetes, keeping it in check is necessary. Uncontrolled diabetes can damage the blood vessels. Based on your condition, adhering to a suitable diet and taking diabetes medications can help.
• Working out regularly- Obesity is a factor that can lead to the onset of cardiac complications. To keep weight in check, working out continually is necessary. From running to jogging and working out at the gym or home, options are aplenty.
• Eating healthy food- You should make modifications to your diet to boost heart health. Including fresh vegetables, discarding junk foods in the meals are a prerequisite for that. There are specialized diets that can be adopted.