Causes of Coronary Heart Disease: Know the Risk Factors
While not specific causes of coronary
heart disease, several factors can increase a person's chances of developing CHD. If a person has
risk factors for heart disease, it does not necessarily mean that he or she will get coronary
heart disease. Many people with risk factors never develop heart disease, while people with no risk factors can develop heart disease.
Two of the main risk factors for getting coronary heart disease are aging and being male. Women tend to get heart disease later than men do. It is thought that female hormones help protect women from heart disease before
menopause. After menopause, women get heart disease as often as men do. The risk of heart disease in men increases at the age of 45. For women, heart disease risk increases at 55.
Other things that raise your chances of heart disease include:
o Heart disease diagnosed in a father or brother before age 55
o Heart disease diagnosed in a mother or sister before age 65.
(Click on Heart Disease Risk to calculate your risk for heart disease over the next 10 years.)
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