Health
Understanding Heart Disease Risks and Causes
Health Points
- Plaque buildup in arteries leads to heart disease and can limit nutrient and oxygen flow to the heart.
- Family history, genetics, age, ethnicity, and certain health conditions can increase heart disease risk.
- Lifestyle choices like smoking, poor diet, inactivity, and unmanaged stress are major contributors.
Heart disease develops as plaque accumulates in the arteries, compromising the supply of oxygen and nutrients to your heart. This condition remains the leading cause of death for adults in the United States.
Plaque is made up of cholesterol, fats, and minerals, and often forms after damage from high blood pressure, smoking, or high cholesterol. Genetics and family history strongly influence your risk—having relatives with heart disease makes you more likely to develop it yourself.
Research indicates that genetics can double or even triple heart disease risk, especially when combined with lifestyle factors. Having a parent or sibling with heart disease, particularly if they are a twin, raises your own risk even higher.
Sex and gender both influence risk, with heart disease becoming more common after age 55 in females and age 45 in males. People from historically marginalized backgrounds also face varied risks, such as higher rates among those of South Asian ancestry compared to white individuals.
Certain health issues make heart disease more likely. High blood pressure, high LDL cholesterol, and diabetes are significant factors. Adults with type 2 diabetes are twice as likely to develop heart disease or stroke, especially as they age.
“Adults with diabetes also tend to have heart attacks at a younger age.”
Managing blood sugar, maintaining a healthy weight, and quitting smoking are key steps to lowering risk for those with diabetes. Depression is another important factor—those who experience it face higher rates of heart disease and may be less likely to maintain health routines.
“Depression can lead to changes in your body that increase your chance of developing heart disease.”
Unhealthy behaviors, including sedentary living, poor dietary habits, excessive alcohol, and unmanaged stress, all raise the likelihood of heart disease. Even healthy people can sometimes develop heart disease due to genetics alone.
While heart disease may not be entirely preventable, healthy choices like regular exercise, quitting smoking, and managing blood pressure, diabetes, or depression can reduce your risk.
Take steps to support your heart today—small changes can add up to a healthier future.
