Earlier this year, my great-aunt passed away suddenly from an unknown heart condition. Her doctor recommended that all of her siblings, children, and nieces and nephews be screened for heart problems as well, flagging them at a higher risk for developing cardiovascular disease. Thankfully, no problems were uncovered, but they are now aware of the higher risk associated with having heart disease in our family.

Scottish researchers believe that if family members of those with known heart disease were singled out as high-risk and their risk factors gotten under control, up to 40% of early deaths from cardiac events could be prevented. Even so, this type of flagging system is rarely used, even though it is common procedure among families with genetic cancers.

So if someone in your family has had some form of heart disease or heart attack, be sure that you know your risks. Talk to your doctor and tackle any problems that increase your chances of developing cardiovascular disease, such as high cholesterol and high blood pressure, and protect your heart for the long haul.

When we first applied for life insurance, my marathon running husband was shocked to find out that his premium would be twice as high as mine. The reason, according to our agent, was his strong family history of early heart disease. Though we knew that genetics play a role, we thought that a healthy lifestyle would balance things out. Not so, at least in the eyes of life insurance companies.

A healthy lifestyle does have a significant impact on your heart health, but if you've been wondering just how much of a role family history plays in your personal risk of cardiovascular disease, check out this article from WebMD. It covers the basics of family history and may help initiate a conversation about prevention with your doctor.

Scientists in Europe have just found 6 specific genes that may be a key to heart disease. Data shows that people with variations in one or more of these genes have a much greater risk of suffering a heart attack or heart disease before the age of 66. These genes only seem to predict risk, however, not the definite future. Not everyone identified with a "genetic predisposition" ultimately gets sick, so it's still very much worthwhile to eat a heart healthy diet and get plenty of exercise.

Like us, the Brits are facing an obesity crisis, one that dramatically ups the risk of heart disease, cancer and other problems. And though heart problems are the biggest killer over there, and will be for some time, it's now being thought that the number of people estimated to be at risk of developing heart disease has been over-calculated -- by a whopping 1.9 million. The reason for the discrepancy? New risk factors have been taken into account, providing a more reliable overall picture. Nonetheless, heart disease is sill a major killer, both at home and in Europe.

Now if we could just get that number to come down by getting healthier ....

If you've cared for someone with heart disease, you may already know about the heart and kidney connection. Because the same two common conditions damage the heart and the kidneys -- high blood pressure and diabetes -- diseases of both organs commonly go hand in hand.

Though health experts have long known of the connection, a recent study of 37,000 adults -- average age 53 -- found that the effect of chronic kidney disease (CKD) on the heart is much more alarming than first thought. During the study, experts looked for three markers that indicated CKD:

1. the rate the kidneys filtered blood
2. the level of the protein albumin in the urine
3. anemia

You recognize your family traits -- you have your mother's nose and your brother has your father's eyes -- but what about the health problems? Did you inherit any of those? According to the U.S. Surgeon General, your family health history is a powerful screening tool and now there's a new web program to make it easy for anyone to create a sophisticated family-health portrait. Users can keep updated information to share with the family doctor and the information that you provide creates a drawing of your family tree and a chart of your family health history. Both the chart and the drawing can be printed and shared with your family members or your health-care professional. Access it at familyhistory.hhs.gov/

Yesterday marked the one year anniversary of my father's death. His death came as a complete surprise to friends and family alike. My father was 65. There were few men in their 30's or 40's who were as fit and dedicated to diet and exercise as my dad. In fact, he died in the late afternoon sunshine while riding his mountain bike after a full day of work. The past year has been one of shock and incredible pain for so many people who knew and loved my father.

Heart disease runs in my father's side of the family, his father and sister died of heart attacks and another brother had multiple by-pass surgery in his early 40's. In light of the family history, my father spent a good part of his life exercising and eating well in order to live a better life. There wasn't a member in our family who thought for a moment that we would lose him so soon and with no chance to say good-bye.

Many of us have spent the last year trying to let go and say our good-byes. These are one sided conversations because my dad is no longer here. Picking up the pieces and repairing our lives is something we strive for everyday. 365 days does not make anything better or magically heal the pain. We lost a great man in the span of just a few breaths, that will never change. But we have made it through one year and we are still standing, that counts for something.

Recently, a friend of mine went to the ER with pain in her left shoulder and shortness of breath. I'm too young for heart disease, she said to me when I called to check on her. But they soon had admitted her overnight for some tests, and though thankfully everything was fine, we both learned a lesson that day. We may be young at heart, but we aren't too young for heart disease.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in women over the age of 25 and it takes more lives than all cancers combined in that age group. I was astonished by that fact. Though women under 50 are less likely to have a heart attack than men, they are more likely to die from them -- likely because women's symptoms can be vague and because women also tend to ignore them. Though those statistics may concern you, there are steps you can take to keep your ticker ticking in a healthy way. Check out this article from Women's Health Magazine that'll give you eight steps you to a healthy heart. There's a ton of good information there, including specific screening tests you can ask for at your next doctor's visit.

For any parent who has heard the following string of words, "Is there a history of congenital heart defects in your family?" life is never quite the same after those words are uttered. Life is never again taken 100% for granted. The joys of childhood are held dear for just a moment or two longer because once your universe is shaken to its core, those moments are needed for processing.

One mother who has been struggling with such issues is Emily Elizabeth. Her young son, Gabriel, was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect when he was a just a day old. Today he will be undergoing his second heart surgery in under a year. Gabriel's first surgery was a success but in November 2006 his family was informed he would need another procedure due to growing scar tissue.

To withstand one heart surgery on your small child is beyond excruciating, but to undergo another opens so many old wounds and fears. Gabriel's mother has designed a beautiful button to download and paste on blogs. It is a gentle reminder that nothing can be taken for granted and that there needs to be much love and hope. Go check it out and download it.

Would you recognize a heart attack or heart related symptoms if they happened to you? A recent report by the American Heart Association found that women under 55 may be less likely to recognize chest pain and other symptoms as heart trouble.

The small study, which involved 24 women under age 55 who'd been hospitalized for heart attacks, found that -- though 9 out of 10 of the women experienced chest pain -- less than 50% of them attributed the pain to a heart attack. Instead, they thought that they were suffering from indigestion or heartburn. This, in my opinion, seems to add support to what we've been hearing for a while now...women's heart symptoms are not always typical.

But this study also seemed to note that many of the women may have misunderstood their risk factors, perhaps due to their young age. Heart attacks under age 55 make up only a small portion of all heart attacks, but the women in the study all had several risk factors, including family history, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity, or were currently smokers. Interestingly, 71% of them rated their health as poor or fair, but yet less than 50% considered themselves at risk for heart disease.

For more about common heart attack symptoms in men and women, check out this article from Mayo Clinic.

Heart health is a subject I took entirely for granted until about 2 1/2 years ago. At just four weeks my youngest son, Devon, was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect and needed immediate surgery to ensure his survival. This episode gave me pause for thought. Then nearly a year ago, my seemingly healthy father died of heart failure while riding his beloved mountain bike.

My name is Heather Craven. I stopped writing for The Cardio Blog last summer after we lost my father, but I am more than happy to be back and again writing about cardio health. It is a subject that so many of us take for granted. And why not? We wake up in the morning and our hearts are beating. We go to bed at night and our hearts continue to thump our life source to our limbs. But in the moment of a breath or the span of a doctor's visit, this attitude can forever change. I come from a long line of hereditary heart disease. I have three children who I hope grow up to lead productive lives with healthy hearts beating in their chests.

The Cardio Blog is a wonderful opportunity to share information and learn more about this all too important topic. I am honored to be back and writing here. I look forward to bringing you informative posts and to hearing your comments.

While I was surfing the 'net the other day, I followed a link to A Fat Rant. It's basically a monologue by a woman who's overweight and tired of feeling bad about it. While I applaud her sentiment that we should feel good about the skin we're in and cheer her refusal to go on a "diet," there was something she said that I didn't agree with:


There's been a lot of talk lately about the connection between genetics and good health. Heart disease, diabetes, and obesity have all been found to have a family connection. A recent study found that 20% of Caucasians carry a gene variation that puts them at greater risk of developing cardiovascular disease and another study found that 50% of white Europeans carried a gene defect that put them at risk for obesity.

People with sub clinical hypothyroidism -- or an under-active thyroid gland without evidence of symptoms -- may have a 65 percent higher risk of heart disease. The recent review of 14 published observational studies in the American Journal of Medicine shed new light on the magnitude of this risk factor -- though researchers hesitate to recommend thyroid screening to healthy adults who do not show symptoms. More extensive clinical studies, such as those that would include patients who have only had a singular vascular episode, are needed for the researchers to be sure -- and thyroxine treatment, commonly given to hypothyroid patients, may prevent future incidence of heart disease.

A new study in the continued search for what predicts increased alcohol dependence later in life -- causing increased risk of heart disease and other health issues -- has found that preschool-aged children who exhibit lack of control over their behavior and impulses are more likely to drink and use drugs by age 14. Recent studies of early teen drinkers found higher levels of dependence in their twenties.

Conversely, children who exhibit more resiliency and ability to adapt to change in their environment are much less likely to begin drinking in adolescence. The prospect of childhood behavior as predictive of later alcohol abuse would enable preventative measures to be implemented, such as behavior-modification programs.

Long QT syndrome (LQTS), a genetic heart condition, is the leading cause of sudden death among children and young adults, according to recent Italian research. Often, symptoms may not be apparent. Screening is being recommended for babies as young as 3 to 4 weeks old.

An estimated 250 lives could be saved in the European Union a year by screening for the electrical heart rhythm disorder. Deaths caused by LQTS are often mistaken as Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), say researchers. Symptoms can include fainting and abnormal heart rhythm. In certain inherited types of LQTS, deafness can occur. It can be treated if diagnosed, often through surgery involving a defibrillator implant or with drugs such as beta blockers.