How relevant is family history to heart disease

Hi, its me again.

In a recent post I stated as a result of high blood pressure I had a blood test which included
fasting lipids which came out at 7.9 mmol/litre.

My doctor asked if I had any family history of heart diease or diabetes, I said no so he gave me the
option of going on drugs or waiting for another blood test in 6 months. I choose to wait.

I have since discovered my mothers sister died of a heart attack (in her late 60s).

My fathers sister had diabetes, her son (my cousin of course) has had two heart attacks and
diabetes, his brother died of a heart attack and my fathers half brother has has bypass surgery.

My father did not have any heart problems but died of cancer, my mother has had cancer twice and has
very high blood pressure but she is in her 80s.

As both my folks are/were OK with heart problems are my aunts/cousins heart problems/diabetes of
any relevance to me, should I mention it to my doctor now or wait until my next BP test in two
months time.

TIA

Paul ( I am in my 50s)

"Curiosity" <Curiosity@Most_things.com> wrote in message
news:97a0vvcivvqk9a55vjl7iulmdalbdl6tqt@4ax.com...
> Hi, its me again.
>
> In a recent post I stated as a result of high blood pressure I had a blood test which included
> fasting lipids which came out at 7.9 mmol/litre.
>
> My doctor asked if I had any family history of heart diease or diabetes, I said no so he gave me
> the option of going on drugs or waiting for another blood test in 6 months. I choose to wait.
>
> I have since discovered my mothers sister died of a heart attack (in her late 60s).
>
> My fathers sister had diabetes, her son (my cousin of course) has had two heart attacks and
> diabetes, his brother died of a heart attack and my fathers half brother has has bypass surgery.
>
> My father did not have any heart problems but died of cancer, my mother has had cancer twice and
> has very high blood pressure but she is in her 80s.
>
> As both my folks are/were OK with heart problems are my aunts/cousins heart problems/diabetes of
> any relevance to me, should I mention it to my doctor now or wait until my next BP test in two
> months time.
>
> TIA
>
> Paul ( I am in my 50s)
I am told that high BP is passed from the mother rather than from the father. Neither of my parents
had high BP but I have.............. I was a smoker. Derek.

Curiosity <Curiosity@Most_things.com> wrote in message news:<97a0vvcivvqk9a55vjl7iulmdalbdl6tqt@4ax.com>...
> Hi, its me again.
>
> In a recent post I stated as a result of high blood pressure I had a blood test which included
> fasting lipids which came out at 7.9 mmol/litre.
>
> My doctor asked if I had any family history of heart diease or diabetes, I said no so he gave me
> the option of going on drugs or waiting for another blood test in 6 months. I choose to wait.
>
> I have since discovered my mothers sister died of a heart attack (in her late 60s).
>
> My fathers sister had diabetes, her son (my cousin of course) has had two heart attacks and
> diabetes, his brother died of a heart attack and my fathers half brother has has bypass surgery.
>
> My father did not have any heart problems but died of cancer, my mother has had cancer twice and
> has very high blood pressure but she is in her 80s.
>
> As both my folks are/were OK with heart problems are my aunts/cousins heart problems/diabetes of
> any relevance to me, should I mention it to my doctor now or wait until my next BP test in two
> months time.

Imho, your "extended" family history is relevant.

Would suggest you inform your doctor sooner rather than later.

> TIA

You are welcome :-)

Humbly,

Andrew

--
Dr. Andrew B. Chung, MD/PhD Board-certified Cardiologist http://www.heartmdphd.com

On Mon, 29 Dec 2003 15:46:07 +0000 (UTC), "Derek F"
<lordpilrig@NOX.btinternet.com> wrote:

>
snip.
>>
>> TIA
>>
>> Paul ( I am in my 50s)
>I am told that high BP is passed from the mother rather than from the father. Neither of my parents
>had high BP but I have.............. I was a smoker. Derek.
>
Just my mothers sister then.

My younger brother also had a high cholesterol a few years back, he reckons he brought his count
down using the Atkins diet ?.

Paul

"Curiosity" <Curiosity@Most_things.com> wrote in message
news:5br0vvc73gvpc2t1povf7mgvkkm7siem89@4ax.com...
> On Mon, 29 Dec 2003 15:46:07 +0000 (UTC), "Derek F" <lordpilrig@NOX.btinternet.com> wrote:
>
> >
> snip.
> >>
> >> TIA
> >>
> >> Paul ( I am in my 50s)
> >I am told that high BP is passed from the mother rather than from the father. Neither of my
> >parents had high BP but I have.............. I was
a
> >smoker. Derek.
> >
> Just my mothers sister then.
>
> My younger brother also had a high cholesterol a few years back, he reckons he brought his count
> down using the Atkins diet ?.
>
> Paul

Diabetes and all conditions like Thyroid and auto immune are linked and found in same families So do
not discount the Thyroid possibility Smoking may of course play its part in you developing BP

On Mon, 29 Dec 2003 18:25:45 +0000 (UTC), "bnd777"
<bnd777@btinternet.com> wrote:

>
>
>> My younger brother also had a high cholesterol a few years back, he reckons he brought his count
>> down using the Atkins diet ?.
>>
>> Paul
>
>
>Diabetes and all conditions like Thyroid and auto immune are linked and found in same families So
>do not discount the Thyroid possibility Smoking may of course play its part in you developing BP
>
Food for thought ?.

I don't smoke, my weight is normal, I have normal energy levels and do exercise regularly, I need
about 7 hours sleep a night and have just completed a University distance learning course (so brain
is still working :-) ).

On the other side, I do have pains in my hands and feet which my doctor tells me are referred pain
due to disc problems in my neck and lower back, and I do get pains in my forearms ?.

Paul

Family history is a factor. Check some of the risk calculators on the
web. Search using "heart attack risk calculator" Here's a good one
from the NIH:
http://hin.nhlbi.nih.gov/atpiii/calc...p?usertype=pub

"Derek F" <lordpilrig@NOX.btinternet.com> wrote in message
news:<bspi7v$ii8$1@hercules.btinternet.com>...
> "Curiosity" <Curiosity@Most_things.com> wrote in message
> news:97a0vvcivvqk9a55vjl7iulmdalbdl6tqt@4ax.com...
> > Hi, its me again.
> >
> > In a recent post I stated as a result of high blood pressure I had a blood test which included
> > fasting lipids which came out at 7.9 mmol/litre.
> >
> > My doctor asked if I had any family history of heart diease or diabetes, I said no so he gave me
> > the option of going on drugs or waiting for another blood test in 6 months. I choose to wait.
> >
> > I have since discovered my mothers sister died of a heart attack (in her late 60s).
> >
> > My fathers sister had diabetes, her son (my cousin of course) has had two heart attacks and
> > diabetes, his brother died of a heart attack and my fathers half brother has has bypass surgery.
> >
> > My father did not have any heart problems but died of cancer, my mother has had cancer twice and
> > has very high blood pressure but she is in her 80s.
> >
> > As both my folks are/were OK with heart problems are my aunts/cousins heart problems/diabetes of
> > any relevance to me, should I mention it to my doctor now or wait until my next BP test in two
> > months time.
> >
> > TIA
> >
> > Paul ( I am in my 50s)
> I am told that high BP is passed from the mother rather than from the father. Neither of my
> parents had high BP but I have.............. I was a smoker. Derek.

"Curiosity" <Curiosity@Most_things.com> wrote in message
news:evt0vvkovjr893s4uov2h5pivcf1rhcbcl@4ax.com...
> On Mon, 29 Dec 2003 18:25:45 +0000 (UTC), "bnd777" <bnd777@btinternet.com> wrote:
>
> >
> >
> >> My younger brother also had a high cholesterol a few years back, he reckons he brought his
> >> count down using the Atkins diet ?.
> >>
> >> Paul
> >
> >
> >Diabetes and all conditions like Thyroid and auto immune are linked and found in same families So
> >do not discount the Thyroid possibility Smoking may of course play its part in you developing BP
> >
> Food for thought ?.
>
> I don't smoke, my weight is normal, I have normal energy levels and do exercise regularly, I need
> about 7 hours sleep a night and have just completed a University distance learning course (so
> brain is still working :-) ).
>
> On the other side, I do have pains in my hands and feet which my doctor tells me are referred pain
> due to disc problems in my neck and lower back, and I do get pains in my forearms ?.
>
> Paul
>
guess what ........neck problems and the aches and pains you describe are a complaint of every
Hypothyroid patient I know

Curiosity <Curiosity@Most_things.com> wrote in message news:<97a0vvcivvqk9a55vjl7iulmdalbdl6tqt@4ax.com>...
> Hi, its me again.
>
> In a recent post I stated as a result of high blood pressure I had a blood test which included
> fasting lipids which came out at 7.9 mmol/litre.
>
> My doctor asked if I had any family history of heart diease or diabetes, I said no so he gave me
> the option of going on drugs or waiting for another blood test in 6 months. I choose to wait.
>
> I have since discovered my mothers sister died of a heart attack (in her late 60s).
>
> My fathers sister had diabetes, her son (my cousin of course) has had two heart attacks and
> diabetes, his brother died of a heart attack and my fathers half brother has has bypass surgery.
>
> My father did not have any heart problems but died of cancer, my mother has had cancer twice and
> has very high blood pressure but she is in her 80s.
>
> As both my folks are/were OK with heart problems are my aunts/cousins heart problems/diabetes of
> any relevance to me, should I mention it to my doctor now or wait until my next BP test in two
> months time.
>
> TIA
>
> Paul ( I am in my 50s)

Hi Paul

I am 61. My total cholesterol is 560. My ldl is oh I dunno 4?? something. I'm translating from the
mmol system used in Canada. TC 13, ldl 11.59.

Do not allow your doctor to treat you for what your relatives died of. (In anything approaching a
sane health care system, that would be illegal.)They had disease; you don't. Being treated for
illnesses you don't have is a sales gimmick in most cases, the purpose of which is to increase
stockholders shares in the drug, not increase your health. If you did a scan of illnesses all your
ancestors had two generations back with the idea of "preventive" treatment, there's hardly anything
you couldn't be treated for. It's a sales gimmick.

I do not have any cardiovascular disease. Unfortunately, I did allow myself to be treated for an
illness I do not have--cardiovascular disease, and I do now suffer ill health from the side
effects and mitochondrial myopathy caused by statins and lingering 2 years after Baycol recall,
and Zocor trial Jan - Apr 2003 with symptom return. True, you might not have that effect. Want to
take your chances?

Had I left well enough alone, I'd be 61, with a high cholesterol level and entering another
cross country track race. As it stands, I use the furniture, anyone handy and a cane to cross
the room. MFG