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Family Medical History: Knowledge Is Power
On the list of risk factors for many diseases is one you can't change: family medical history. But this doesn't mean that there is nothing you can do to cut your risks.
Know Your Risks
Very few diseases are simply inherited. Most conditions that run in families are caused by a combination of genes and lifestyle factors—such as diet, smoking, and exercise habits. Such conditions include:
- heart disease
- cancers of the bowels, breasts, lungs, ovaries, stomach, and skin
- cataracts and glaucoma
- asthma and allergies
- diabetes
- arthritis
- osteoporosis
- migraine headaches.
Knowing whether a family member had any of these conditions is important. But the more complete the information, the more useful. It's helpful to know the answers to these questions:
- How many family members were affected?
- How closely were they related?
- At what age did they become ill?
- At what age did they die?
"Knowledge is power," says Jan Glowacki, M.D., affiliated with Riverview Medical Center. "If my patients know their family history, I can help them analyze disease patterns throughout their family and discuss diseases they may be at risk for. It helps us outline important screenings and tests that patients can explore to try to prevent family history from repeating itself."
Action Plan For Prevention
Once you know your inherited risks, there are at least three ways to help overcome them.
- Make healthy lifestyle choices. Stay active, eat well, manage your weight, watch your blood pressure, and don't smoke. For example, smoking raises the risk of conditions like heart disease, colon and lung cancer, and osteoporosis.
- Ask your doctor for a screening schedule — and stick to it. Most diseases are easier to treat and less lethal when caught in their early stages. And screening tests are available to do just that for many inherited conditions. Also, practice regular self-examination to help prevent breast and skin cancers.
- Be consistent in taking any prescribed medications. If your medicines are causing side effects, talk with your doctor about possible alternatives.
By taking these steps, you can turn your family medical history into a powerful preventive tool.
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