Personal health risk factors include age, gender, family medical history, lifestyle, and more. Some risk factors cannot be changed, such as genes. A substance that is inherited from parents and that defines characteristics such as the risk of suffering from certain diseases. Others are under your control, such as diet, physical activity and whether you wear a seat belt.
You can't do anything about some risk factors. However, there are others that you can treat, manage, or control with the help of your healthcare provider. Background that you can't change, such as your family history, is still important when evaluating your risk for heart disease and stroke. Many risk factors can be modified, treated, or controlled by focusing on lifestyle habits and taking medications, if prescribed by a healthcare provider.
