Pass It On

Find out how your family's health could affect your own.

There are plenty of things your parents or grandparents might pass along to you- the recipe for the stuffing everyone loves, a passion for the Texas Rangers, the dining room set that hosted family meals for decades.

They should also share their medical history-because knowing the diseases and conditions that your parents have can help you better manage your own health.

Some diseases have a solid genetic link, explains Darren Arnecke, M.D., an internal medicine specialist on the medical staff at Memorial Hospital.

For example, two of the most prominent types of cancer-breast and colon-have strains with hereditary links. If one of your parents had this type of cancer, your doctor can talk to you about your increased risk and options you have for managing it. Doctors will often recommend earlier, more frequent screenings for people with a family history of these cancers, for example.

But keep in mind that a genetic link to a disease doesn't mean you'll definitely get it. “While a family history of breast cancer puts you at higher risk, the majority of patients with breast cancer do not have a family member who had breast cancer,” Dr. Arnecke explains.

Alzheimer's disease also has a genetic link, and while there's no cure for Alzheimer's, watching for problems can help you start treatment earlier and maintain better brain health longer.

Dr. Arnecke explains that there are lots of other diseases and conditions that may not have a proven genetic link, or at least not one that's been discovered yet. But there can still be a tendency for family members to share the diagnosis.

“Heart disease isn't purely inherited- it's so broad that we haven't found a direct genetic link, but we see a tendency,” he explains. “But there are genetic cholesterol diseases that increase the risk of having heart disease.”

Knowing your parents' and grandparents' medical histories is the first step. Armed with this information, you can talk to your doctor about minimizing your own risk.

By Stephanie Thurrott

If you need a referral to a physician on the medical staff at Memorial Hospital, call (903) 439-4062.