A family history of diabetes (di"ah-BE'teez or di"ah-BE'tis), gout, high blood pressure or high blood cholesterol also increases the risk of heart disease. Print our Family History Tree to map out your family's health history.

A number of genes have been reported to be associated with heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure in large population-based studies. However, the impact of each individual gene on an individual person is not fully understood.

A person with a congenital heart defect is slightly more likely than the general public to have a baby with a congenital heart defect. Researchers are now identifying genes responsible for causing some of these defects.

Even though you can't change your genetic makeup, you can reduce your risk by adopting a healthier lifestyle that includes physical activity, a healthy diet, and avoiding tobacco.

You can learn more about your family history by asking questions, talking at family gatherings, and looking at family medical records, if possible. Try to learn about the medical history of your grandparents, parents, aunts and uncles, nieces and nephews, siblings, and children. You should try to find out the following:

• Major medical conditions and causes of death.
• Age of disease onset and age at death, and
• Ethnic background.

Please share your family history information with your doctor. Your doctor will:

• Assess your disease risk.
• Recommend lifestyle changes to help prevent disease, and
• Prescribe laboratory or clinical tests to detect disease early.

More information about family history of heart and blood vessel disease:

CDC Family History Web Site

U.S. Surgeon General's Family History Initiative

National Society for Genetic Counselors

Related AHA publications:

• Know the Facts, Get the Stats
• Are You at Risk of Heart Attack or Stroke? (also in Spanish)
• Controlling Your Risk Factors ... heart attack and stroke