Preventative health care is an important part of maintaining your health as you age. Regular exams, health screenings, and healthy lifestyle habits can reduce your risk of serious health issues. However, every patient has unique health needs. Your age, lifestyle, current health, and family medical history can all impact the preventative care you need. You may wonder, how does family history affect your preventative health care? Below is helpful information about the importance of understanding your family health history.
Your family history can provide important information about your risk for certain health conditions. Some diseases are more common among people with close family members who have the same condition. Understanding these risks allows you and your doctor to create a preventative health care plan based on your unique needs. Regular [health screenings](insert here) can also help doctors identify early signs of health issues before they become more serious.
How Does Family History Affect Your Preventative Health Care?
Your family health history includes information about medical conditions that have affected your relatives. This commonly includes your parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts, and uncles. Certain health conditions can occur more frequently within families because of genetics. However, family members may also share similar environments, eating habits, activity levels, and other lifestyle factors.
According to a scientific review on family health history, it is a useful tool for assessing a person’s risk of common chronic diseases. Understanding these risks may help doctors determine which screenings, lifestyle changes, or other preventative measures are appropriate for a patient.
Having a family history of a certain condition does not mean that you are likely at risk. Instead, it provides your doctor with additional background about your health. This can be used to make informed decisions about preventive care.
Health Conditions That Can Run in Families
Several common health conditions can have a hereditary component. Knowing which conditions have affected your relatives can help your doctor determine if you may have an increased risk.
Family history can be important when assessing your risk for the following:
- Heart disease
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Type 2 diabetes
- Kidney disease
- Certain types of cancer
- Stroke
- Osteoporosis
- Certain genetic conditions
Patients should share as much information as they can about these conditions with their doctor. It is especially helpful to know which family member had the condition and how old they were when they were diagnosed. Several relatives developing the same condition, or a family member being diagnosed at an unusually young age, may provide your doctor with additional information about your potential risk.
How Family History Can Impact Health Screenings
Routine screenings are an important part of preventative health care. However, not every patient needs the same screening schedule. Your doctor may recommend certain tests based on your age, sex, current health, and personal risk factors.
A strong family history of a health condition may impact when you begin certain screenings or how often they are performed. For example, a patient with a family history of high blood pressure, heart disease, or diabetes may benefit from carefully monitoring their blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar. Patients with a family history of certain cancers may also need to discuss their screening schedule with their doctor.
Your doctor can evaluate your family history along with your current health to determine which preventative health services are appropriate for you. Staying consistent with recommended screenings allows your doctor to identify subtle changes and address potential concerns early.
Family History and Kidney Health
Family history can also be important for kidney health. Certain conditions that increase the risk of kidney disease, including diabetes & high blood pressure, commonly occur within families. Some forms of kidney disease may also have genetic factors.
Your kidneys play an important role and should be checked, especially after age 60. They play the important function of removing waste and excess fluid from your body. Kidney disease can progress without obvious symptoms during the beginning stages. For patients with certain risk factors, monitoring kidney function can help identify changes before more serious complications develop.
If kidney disease/related health conditions are common in your family, it is worth discussing this history with your doctor. They can determine whether you need additional testing or monitoring.
What Should You Know About Your Family History?
You do not need to know every detail about your relatives’ health to have a useful family medical history. Start by talking with close family members about major medical conditions they have experienced.
Some of the most helpful information includes:
- Major medical conditions among close relatives
- The age when a family member was diagnosed
- Causes of death among close relatives
- Conditions affecting several family members
- Health conditions diagnosed at an unusually young age.
- Known genetic conditions within the family
- Family medical histories can also change over time.
A relative may receive a new diagnosis that was not known at your previous appointment. Updating your doctor when you learn new information can help ensure that your preventative health care continues to reflect your current risk factors.
Take Control of Your Preventative Health
You cannot change your family health history. However, understanding it can help you make informed choices about your health moving forward. Regular physical exams, appropriate health screenings, and healthy lifestyle habits are important steps in reducing your risk for several chronic health conditions.
Dr. Victor Gura has an extensive history of treating patients and helping them manage their long-term health. Dr. Gura is a board-certified kidney specialist who diagnoses and treats kidney diseases. If you have concerns about your family medical history or want to learn more about preventative health care, contact us today to schedule an appointment. Understanding your individual risk factors can help you and your doctor make informed decisions to protect your health for years to come.