Health Tip: Your Family Has a Medical History
(HealthDay News) -- Your doctor probably has asked you questions about your family history, since it may have a significant impact on your well-being.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers this guidance about how family history may affect your health:
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A disease that occurs in more than one close relative can increase your risk of that disease.
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If the disease has affected family members at an earlier-than-typical age, this may also increase your risk.
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Diseases that occur together within the family can also indicate greater risk -- for example, diabetes and heart disease.
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Diseases within the family that don't usually affect a gender may increase your risk. An example is breast cancer among males in your family.
Date Last Reviewed:
7/9/2009
Date Last Modified:
7/9/2009