Death rates from coronary heart disease for African-American women is 33 percent higher than for white women. Family History A family history of heart disease, especially if it occurred at an early age, is a strong risk factor for cardiovascular disease. The cause appears to be related to a number of factors. Some medical problems, such as hypertension, diabetes, or high cholesterol, are inherited. In families with these problems, cardiovascular disease at an early age is the result of these conditions.
Families also tend to have similar habits, although habits can be changed.
People often act, eat, and exercise as their parents and siblings do. The genes and habits that cause us to have central obesity, to be sedentary, to smoke, or to follow poor diets cluster in families. She should look at her risk factors and lifestyle and make the changes that are possible to avoid repeating her family history. Age Blood Pressure Blood pressure is measured in terms of systolic and diastolic pressures. The first figure is the systolic pressure and the second figure is the diastolic pressure.