Prevalence and Cardiovascular Health Impact of Family History of Premature Heart Disease in the United States: Analysis of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2007–2014

BACKGROUND: Because family history is a known risk factor for heart disease, it is important to characterize its public health impact in terms of population prevalence of family history of heart disease, the burden of heart disease attributable to family history, and whether family history interacts with modifiable risk factors for heart disease. METHODS AND RESULTS: We used population data from NHANES (the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey [2007–2014]) to measure the association of self‐reported family history of premature heart disease (FHPHD) with cardiovascular disease (n=19 253) and to examine the association between cardiovascular health metrics and FHPHD (n=16 248). Using logistic regression and multivariable adjustment, family history odds ratios were 5.91 (95% CI, 3.34–10.44) for ages 20 to 39, 3.02 (95% CI, 2.41–3.79) for ages 40 to 59, and 1.87 (95% CI, 1.54–2.28) for age ≥60 for cardiovascular disease. The prevalence of cardiovascular disease for the population with a FHPHD (15.72%; 95% CI, 13.81–17.64) was more than double the prevalence of cardiovascular disease for those without a family history (6.25%; 95% CI, 5.82–6.69). Compared with participants with optimum cardiovascular health, the prevalence ratio for FHPHD was 1.98 (95% CI, 1.40–2.79) for those with inadequate cardiovascular health. CONCLUSIONS: Millions of people who are at high risk of having cardiovascular disease could be identified using FHPHD. FHPHD can become an important component of public health campaigns that address modifiable risk factors that plan to reduce the overall risk of heart disease.