Screening Family Members Could Prevent 4 In 10 Premature Heart Attacks

Screening and treating middle-aged adults with a family history of coronary heart disease (CHD) could prevent more than 4 in 10 premature heart attacks, according to a recent article. Family history, the researchers say, can identify a large proportion of people at high overall risk of developing CHD. They point to one study which found that the 14% of families with a positive family history accounted for 48% of all CHD events and 72% of all premature deaths.