An Unfortunate Inheritance: Genetic Risk, Healthy Living and Coronary Artery Blockage

Genetic and lifestyle factors are two important causes of coronary artery disease, a complex disorder and leading cause of death worldwide. Coronary arteries supply the heart; the importance of familial susceptibility to blockage was first described in 1938.

Since 2007, genomewide association analyses have identified more than 50 independent genetic regions (loci) associated with coronary artery disease risk. Analyzing these risk genes aims to calculate future blockage likelihood. Importantly, genetic tests for cardiovascular disease are not yet actively used in clinics. Effective tests will become possible once most associated genes are identified. Current risk calculation uses age, systolic blood pressure, sex and cholesterol levels.

Extensive evidence shows substantially fewer cardiovascular events—heart attacks and strokes—in people following healthy lifestyles.

What does a healthy lifestyle mean in this study?

1. Not using tobacco or tobacco products
2. Not being obese,
3. Regular physical activity and
4. A healthy diet

Developing healthy behaviors underpins current strategies to improve cardiovascular health throughout society.

- Related topic: What is cardiovascular disease? What are its risk factors?

Family history is a major coronary risk factor. A striking saying states, “The worst inheritance is inherited cardiovascular disease.” Just as heredity occurs in certain cancers (approximately %10 of all cancers), cardiovascular disease can unfortunately pass genetically from parents to children.

However, genetic risk can be reduced through a healthy lifestyle A comprehensive study appeared in NEJM in November 2016. Including 55685 participants, it first tested whether genetics and adherence to a healthy lifestyle were independent risk factors for vessel blockage called atherosclerosis. It then assessed the extent to which healthy living was associated with reduced coronary artery disease among high-genetic-risk participants.

Study findings:

• Coronary events were % 91 more frequent in those with high genetic risk.
• People with at least three of the four healthy-lifestyle characteristics above had significantly fewer coronary events regardless of genetic risk.
• For those with high genetic risk, a healthy lifestyle reduces coronary event risk by nearly half (%46).

In conclusion, genetic and lifestyle factors independently relate to coronary susceptibility. More strikingly, those with family history—an unmodifiable risk factor—can reduce cardiovascular risk by % 50 through healthy living.

Related topic:

- Did you know cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases share their main causes?