Heart disease (My Family Health Portrait web-based tool)

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Personal and family health history risk factors for “Increased Risk”

  1. You have or have had heart disease (angina, coronary artery disease, heart attack, or other heart disease).
  2. You had a stroke.
  3. You have or have had diabetes (A relative (male or female) had diabetes (diabetes, maturity onset diabetes of the young (MODY), type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, or unknown diabetes) at any age.
  4. You have high blood pressure (hypertension).
  5. You have high cholesterol (including familial hypercholesterolemia).
  6. A male relative had heart disease (any subgroup: angina, coronary artery disease, heart attack, or other heart disease) before age 50 or a female relative had heart disease before age 60.
  7. A male relative had a stroke/brain attack before age 50 or a female relative had a stroke/brain attack before age 60.
  8. A relative (male or female) had familial hypercholesterolemia at any age.
  9. A relative (male or female) had diabetes (diabetes, maturity onset diabetes of the young (MODY), type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, or unknown diabetes) at any age.
  11. Sudden death (due to heart problem) of a male relative before age 50 or a female relative before age 60.

Messages based on risk factors:

  • #1 is positive and #2–10 are negative:
    • Your mother, father, brothers, sisters, and children may be more likely to have coronary heart disease. Make sure you share your history of heart disease with them. Talk to your doctor about getting checked for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and diabetes. Controlling these conditions can be important for managing your heart disease.
  • #1 is negative and one or more of #2–10 are positive:
    • You might be more likely to develop heart disease because of your personal or family health history. Tell your doctor about any family members with heart disease, stroke, familial hypercholesterolemia, or diabetes. Include male family members who died suddenly due to heart problems before age 50 and female family members who died suddenly due to heart problems before age 60. If you have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes, controlling these conditions can make you less likely to develop heart disease.
  • If #1 is positive and one or more of #2–10 are positive:
    • You have heart disease and a related condition or a family history of heart disease or a related condition. Tell your doctor about any family members with heart disease, stroke, familial hypercholesterolemia, or diabetes. Include male family members who died suddenly due to heart problems before age 50 and female family members who died suddenly due to heart problems before age 60. If you have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, or diabetes, controlling these conditions can be important for managing your heart disease.

If #1–10 are negative:

  • You do not have a family history of heart disease.

This algorithm is based on information from

  • Grundy et al. 2018 AHA/ACC/AACVPR/AAPA/ABC/ACPM/ADA/AGS/ APhA/ASPC/NLA/PCNA Guideline on the Management of Blood Cholesterol: A Report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Clinical Practice Guidelines. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2019; 73:e285-350.
  • Lloyd-Jones et al. Use of Risk Assessment Tools to Guide Decision-Making in the Primary Prevention of Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease: A Special Report From the American Heart Association and American College of Cardiology. Circulation. 2019; 139:e1162-77.
  • Moonesinghe et al. Prevalence and Cardiovascular Health Impact of Family History of Premature Heart Disease in the United States: Analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2007-2014. J Am Heart Assoc. 2019; 8:e012364.
  • Ridker et al. C-Reactive Protein and Parental History Improve Global Cardiovascular Risk Prediction: The Reynolds Risk Score for Men. Circulation. 2008; 118:2243-51.
  • Ridker et al. Development and Validation of Improved Algorithms for the Assessment of Global Cardiovascular Risk in Women: The Reynolds Risk Score. JAMA. 2007; 297:611-9.