Heart Disease: Factors You Can't Control

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You can’t control these risk factors. But knowing what they are can help you understand your overall risk for heart disease.

Age — Women usually develop heart disease about 10 to 15 years later than men. This is because until menopause, the ovaries produce estrogen. Estrogen protects women against plaque buildup. But at menopause the ovaries stop making estrogen, and your risk goes up. By age 70, women have about the same risk for heart disease as same-aged men. Menopause isn’t the only reason getting older is a risk factor. As people age, arteries get stiffer and thicker. Also, systolic blood pressure (the top number) often goes up. These changes contribute to plaque buildup in artery walls.

Family history of early heart disease — Women with a father or brother who developed heart disease before age 55 are at higher risk. Women with a mother or sister who developed heart disease before age 65 are also at higher risk. However, young women with a family history may not be aware of this risk. So, they may be less careful about living a heart-healthy lifestyle than men with a family history.

Race and Ethnicity — As a group, African Americans are more likely to develop high blood pressure. Research also suggests that racial and ethnic minorities are generally more likely to develop heart disease. The reasons for this greater risk are unclear.

Additional Resources

Publications

1.   Young at Heart: Tips for Older Americans — Older Americans have a higher risk of developing heart disease than young Americans. This publication provides older Americans with tips to healthier eating and staying physically active to maintain a healthy weight and heart.

   http://win.niddk.nih.gov/publications/young_heart.htm

2. Heredity as a Risk Factor: Can Heart and Blood Vessel Disease be Inherited? (Copyright © AHA) — If you have a family history of high blood pressure, diabetes, and high cholesterol, the American Heart Association gives recommendations to help reduce your chances of developing heart disease.

   http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4610

3. Menopause and the Risk of Heart Disease and Stroke (Copyright © American Heart Association) — Women’s risk of heart disease and stroke increases after menopause. This publication reviews the research on menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) and risk of heart disease and stroke. It can help you make an informed choice if you are thinking about MHT to relieve symptoms of menopause.

   http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4658

4. Risk Factors and Coronary Heart Disease (Copyright © AHA) — While some risk factors of coronary heart disease can be modified, other risk factors cannot. This publication discusses risk factors that you cannot control, as well as some risk factors that you can control.

   http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4726

5. Women, Heart Disease and Stroke (Copyright © American Heart Association) — Heart disease is not just a man’s disease. Women are at risk too. This publication discusses risk factors for heart disease and explains the difference between risks you can and can’t control. The factors you can control — like lifestyle changes — can help lower your heart disease risk.

   http://www.americanheart.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=4786

Organizations

1.   Heart Truth
2.   National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, CDC, OPHS, HHS
3.   National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, NIH, HHS
4. American Heart Association
5. Women's Heart Foundation

= Indicates Federal Resources

Content last updated: February 1, 2009