Heart Health

Does early heart disease run in your family?

By , Executive Editor, Harvard Heart Letter
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Knowing the details can inform your screening and treatment decisions.

Because heart disease is so prevalent, the odds that one or more of your relatives has some type of heart problem are pretty high. But you should pay special attention if someone in your immediate family — a parent or sibling — had a heart attack or related issue at a relatively young age. Known as premature or early coronary artery disease, this condition refers to a heart attack that occurs before age 55 in a man or before age 65 in a woman.

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About the Author

photo of Julie Corliss

Julie Corliss, Executive Editor, Harvard Heart Letter

Julie Corliss is the executive editor of the Harvard Heart Letter. Before working at Harvard, she was a medical writer and editor at HealthNews, a consumer newsletter affiliated with The New England Journal of Medicine. She … See Full Bio
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