Heart health begins with your history

Caring for your heart can feel overwhelming. With endless information at our fingertips, it can be difficult to know where to start.

But the most important piece of information, said Dr. Nathaniel Dittoe, cardiologist at Kettering Health, is your family’s health history.

What is family health history?

“Family history encompasses medical conditions that family members have been diagnosed with, or have died from,” said Dr. Dittoe.

According to Dr. Dittoe, the age at which first-degree family members, your parents and siblings, first started having medical issues and the age at which they died are important pieces of information for your doctor to know.

When it comes to your heart health, Dr. Dittoe said there are certain conditions in your family history that your doctor should be made aware of. These conditions include:

■ Diabetes

■ Heart attack

■ Heart failure

■ Heart rhythm problems

■ High blood pressure

■ Stroke

Additionally, Dr. Dittoe said having a family member who passed away without warning could also indicate a possible genetic heart condition.

The importance of your family health history

Dr. Dittoe said the first step in taking care of your heart is knowing your risk.

“If we know that family members have had heart problems,” he explained, “there are things we can do to try to prevent problems in the future.”

If you know that heart conditions run in your family, see a doctor and have a conversation about your entire family health history. Your doctor will create an

action plan and might recommend screenings or medications to lower your risk.

“In some cases, a healthy lifestyle is all that is needed,” Dr. Dittoe said. “In other cases, medications such as those for blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes can help reduce your risk.”

While everyone’s treatment looks different, one thing that’s important is for everyone to understand their family health history.

“There is nothing you can do about the genetic cards you were dealt,” Dr. Dittoe said, “but you can choose how to play them.”

Take the first step in caring for your heart health. Speak with a primary care physician about your family health history. To find a provider and schedule an appointment, go online to ketteringhealth.org/services/primary-care/.

‘Family history encompasses medical conditions that family members have been diagnosed with, or have died from.’

Dr. Nathaniel Dittoe Cardiologist