Risk factors that you're born with and cannot be changed: The
more of these risk factors you have, the greater your chance of
developing coronary heart disease. About 82% of people who die
of coronary heart disease are 65 or older. At older ages, women
who have heart attacks are more likely than men are to die from
them within a few weeks. Male Sex (Gender) Men have a greater
risk of heart attack than women do, and they have attacks
earlier in life. Even after menopause, when women's death rate
from heart disease increases, it's not as great as men's.
Heredity (Including Race) Children of parents with heart disease
are more likely to develop it themselves. African Americans have
more severe high blood pressure than Caucasians and a higher
risk of heart disease. Heart disease risk is also higher among
Mexican Americans, American Indians, native Hawaiians and some
Asian Americans. This is partly due to higher rates of obesity
and diabetes. Most people with a strong family history of heart
disease have one or mo