Family tree

[Sophiexoxo]

Hi my grandad died from a heart attack at a very young age when my dad was 17. My dad then passed on that gene and passed away at 51 of a heart attack I am the first born but a female and I know it doesn’t follow so much with girls but should I get checked out to see if I have the gene as I am the first born I am 26 years old?

[Hidden]

Hi Sophie. Sorry for your losses. I’m aware of a gene that can cause a condition called familial hypercholesterolaemia through a young lady I know around your age, which can lead to early heart disease (and therefore heart attacks/death) if left undiagnosed and untreated. Gender is irrelevant in FH, it’s a 50% chance of passing it on to any children you have regardless, so if your dad had FH, you’re just as at risk of potentially having it as any brothers you might have. Treatment is lifestyle and statins or similar cholesterol lowering drugs. I’m not aware of any other genetic causes of heart disease that can currently be tested for: my understanding is the other cardiac genes we can find tend to be for inherited cardiomyopathies that lead to heart failure, or those associated with certain serious arrhythmias.

If there is a known, proven genetic condition in the immediate family, it’s always worth asking to be tested in my opinion: knowledge is power, and you can’t do a great deal about something you’re unaware of. Family history is important, but I’ve found cardiac history isn’t always given the weight you’d expect, so if there is a gene to be tested for, the GP should at least take that seriously.

[Sophiexoxo in reply to Hidden]

Thankyou so much for the information

[Hidden]

I would suggest asking your GP to refer you to a cardiologist specialising in inherited cardiac problems, who will be able to advise whether any investigations would be sensible.

[Page12]

Hi, I'm not trying to scare ya I to have family history my grand dad died with his 3rd heart attack when he was 65 and my dad also died with a heart attack at 60 I'm first born female and I also suffered a heart attack at 48 and had two stents and 3rd heart artery narrow. Most of my grand dad's brothers had bypass also. To be honest why would you want be checked out, if your carrying the genes you will only stress yourself over it always as you won't be treated for just carrying genes. I advice don't stress over something that might never happen, just eat healthy keep fit and enjoy life and forget about what can happen it the future.

[Bigbrian]

Hi, disregard the answer someone said about just carry on and eat healthy. Contact your GP, tell them your family history and your concerns, and get a cardiologist to tell you what he thinks. If it is famial you can get tested to see if you have the gene, and can get preventative medicine to hopefully reduce the risk, and alsocan get a pacemaker fitted/ICD if there is a bigger problem. Don’t put your head in the sand, do something .

[-007-]

Hi Sophiexoxo,My father died at 53 from a heart attack, I was 17 years old.

My brother died at 62 from a heart attack.

Both were unaware of having heart disease.

I have no idea if my grandparents died from heart disease.

I suffered with angina for ten years unknowingly.

Even though it was on my records my GP, asthma nurse and hospital specialists thought it was “borderline asthma, reflux, overweight (maybe 10 lb), I even had an operation on my nose to stop catarrh going down the back of my nose causing me to cough, it didn’t work.

That all stopped when they started treating me for angina after having a heart attack whilst out walking my dogs on a frosty day in December 2016. I was lucky to survive being on my own in the middle of nowhere.

Actually, the nurse practitioner said she thought I had an asthma attack and said to take extra puffs of the useless inhaler I had prescribed next time I go for a walk. Effectively sending me back out for another heart attack.

Since then I’ve had five stents (2017) and five bypasses (CABG x 5) (2019)

If it was me I’d want to know so I could be on the right medication to prevent all I went through and to keep me safe.

Charlie_G is right. Knowledge is power.

One point. Since knowing what my problem was the NHS have been brilliant. I simply would not be alive if it wasn’t for them.

==================

My name is Bond, James Bond and I take my Asprin shaken not stirred. 🍸

[Hidden]

Hi Sophie,

If your family have a strong history of heart disease you might find that women tend to show symptoms when they are older and past menopause because oestrogen affects your cardiovascular health.

Here is a bhf article: bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

It is worth reading a woman's heart: goodreads.com/book/show/554...

The book explains all the ins and outs of female heart health and how to keep yourself healthy.

If you know that your family have a history of a genetic heart disease like cardiomyopathy then you might be able to get a genetic test. There is a bhf support line for inherited diseases here :

bhf.org.uk/informationsuppo...

It is definitely worth talking to your GP about it, I have a similar family history and they have always taken it seriously.

[Milkfairy Heart Star in reply to Hidden]

Women tend to also be more likely to live with non obstructive coronary artery disease, such as microvascular dysfunction and vasospastic angina.

These conditions can cause a heart attack without obstructed coronary arteries in younger pre menopausal women.

I developed some of my symptoms of vasospastic angina in my late 20's but it was not diagnosed till many years later.

Prof Angela Maas in her book Woman's heart discusses these heart conditions.

Women are not just men with female hormones. Their hearts are smaller with smaller blood vessels.

The role of HRT use is controversial in treating menopausal women with heart disease.

The research keeps changing and the BHF website article may well need updating.

The Mayo Clinic in US published this information last year.

mayoclinic.org/diseases-con...

my.clevelandclinic.org/heal...

[hollyjam]

I’d definitely find out more. You should get an ecg and then your gp can decide whether to refer you.

[Hidden in reply to hollyjam]

An ecg won’t show anything if there is an underlying issue like FH. ECGs will only show electrical irregularities (like rate and rhythm) at the moment it’s being done. Unless there is an active arrhythmia or other obvious problem, an ecg would be of no value here.

[benjijen]

Don't panic over this but know your own body. My unstable angina began in my jaw which was incorrectly put down to my inflammatory arthritis (because I am female maybe?). You most certainly do not need pain in your chest as a sign of problems. If unhappy push for further tests but please don't panic as pains/breathlessness etc can have many causes.

[Challiefan]

My partner is a genealogist. She says gets tested if you want to know.

[Trog1]

Hello, My gran, a diabetic from middle age died suddenly age 64. At 48 mum, found she was diabetic and had heart bypass surgery at 55. She died at 65. My brother was diagnosed diabetic at 38 and passed suddenly age 59 just 4 years ago. They’d all smoked, liked a drink and didn’t always eat healthily so despite contributing their conditions to lifestyle my GP decided I have an annual blood test and check up. At 34 I was diagnosed with ectopic heartbeats. As in my early 50s they got worse my GP continued my yearly diabetes, blood pressure and cholesterol check (never had diabetes but tried to keep down sugar and cholesterol with diet). In November 2018 I had a heart monitor test and told my heart was fine but to lose a bit of weight and continue a healthy lifestyle. In April 2019 I had an nstemi Heart attack where it was discovered my heart wasn’t bad but my arteries were badly ‘clogged’ due to FH and I needed emergency CABG. I had absolutely no idea of this genetic problem and though I ate quite healthily and never smoked or drank was told if I’d been super fit and a size 10 things would be the same. I had a triple bypass and feel much better but must take medication as a result which includes high dose statin and an annual check to monitor all is okay. As a result mine and my brother’s children were tested for FH. Luckily my children are okay but one of my brother’s daughters has the condition. She too must take a statin but feels lucky to have found out to get treatment. We had no idea that FH was in our family and because of that I ended up having heart surgery though now realise how lucky I am it was found. So my advice to you would be to have the check if you know the condition is in your family as it really is well worth it. I’m so sorry for your losses but do wish you all the very best with the future.