With the new treatments and medications available to treat heart disease, it sometimes appears that a strong family history of heart disease can be overcome.
That’s not always the case.
In this piece from The New York Times, Michael Winerip does all the right things, including exercising, closely following up with a cardiologist, and undergoing stress tests and angiograms, but still was diagnosed with significant heart disease at the same of as his male relatives, most of whom died at an early age from heart attacks.
Despite the data that has shown a marked decrease in heart disease over the years, Mr. Winerip notes that, “on the micro level, individual by individual, it’s more fuzzy.”
Cardiologist Alice Jacobs puts it best: “You can modify the major risk factors, but you can’t modify family history.”
Indeed.
(via Amy Tuteur)
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{ 4 comments }
Geez, this really worries me.. My grandfather had a heart disease condition and passed away before he was 70. I try to keep up with exercise and staying healthy but in the end it seems that you cannot prevent your faith..
Reading between the lines… this guy had multiple caths, a cardiac ct, multiple stress tests and a stent. For… what eventually developed into stable angina? Ay ay ay. Only in America.
My friend has written a book and has a full practice treating people who have this genetic background. Read her book and go to her website for some great information to consider and follow.
The APOE Gene diet is the book by Pamela McDonald…
http://www.apoegenediet.com
Not only can your own health habits and your past medical history screw you in terms of obtaining insurance coverage, but now your great-granny’s health problems count as preexisting conditions!
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