10 Heart Attack Risk Factors part 1

Preventing heart attacks

Some risk factors for heart disease can be controlled, and some can't.

According to the American Heart Association, here are the leading factors that put you at risk for coronary artery disease or a heart attack.

If you know you're at higher risk of a heart attack due to circumstances beyond your control, pay closer attention to lifestyle factors you can change to cut your risk of heart attack.

Age

As you get older, your risk of a heart attack goes up.

More than 80% of people who die of heart disease are 65 or older. And it's not just men.

In fact, older women who have a heart attack are more likely to die within a few weeks of the attack than older men who have heart attacks.

Being male

Men have a greater risk of heart attack than women do, and they have attacks earlier in life. Even after menopause, when women's death rate from heart disease increases, it's not as great as men's.

That said, heart disease is still the leading cause of death among American women, far surpassing any type of cancer, says Richard Milani, MD, the vice chairman of cardiology at the Ochsner Health System in New Orleans. (You can read more about women's heart health and take our women's heart-health quiz to find out how to prevent heart attacks).

Family history

If you have a close relative such as a parent or sibling who developed heart disease prematurely—before 55 for men and 65 for women—your chances of getting it is higher.

However, "if you do have a family history, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re doomed to repeat the sins of your parents," says Dr. Milani, who is a spokesperson for the American Heart Association. While it could be genetic, it could also be that "they had a bad lifestyle that you don’t have, and that’s what really caused their heart problems." A healthy lifestyle, regular check-ups, and keeping a lookout for symptoms can help.

Race

Compared to whites, heart disease risk is is higher among African Americans, Mexican Americans, American Indians, native Hawaiians, and some Asian Americans. This may be due to higher rates of diabetes or obesity in some groups compared to others. It often "relates back to one of the risk factors that lead to heart attacks,” says Dr. Milani.

For example, African Americans are at greater risk of high blood pressure, which may be one reason they are also more likely to experience heart problems, he says.
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