If your entire family or a close member has a history of heart disease, especially with surgical interventions like coronary artery bypass graft, or CABG, at a young age, you are bound to be concerned. If a close relative, which includes a brother, sister, father, mother, or children, had CABG, they could theorise a genetic risk for cardiovascular diseases.

Family history is one of the most significant indicators of heart health, and genetics work in tandem with it to show statistical risk, which sometimes is determined by a blood test or analysis. Although it is recognised that certain hereditary risk factors, such as diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and certain hypersensitivity clotting abnormalities, might provide acute positive health risks for patients, genetics does not fully explain the situation. “Together with lifestyle choices, stress levels, food, and exercise, family experience can help them reduce (or raise) some hereditary heart-related risks,” Dr Manohar Sakhare, consultant in cardiology at Manipal Hospital, told Times Now.

Doctors say when patients come up with symptoms like chest discomfort, dyspnea, or exhaustion, especially those with a serious family history, a cardiac work-up is necessary to identify if underlying cardiovascular disease could be contributing to the symptoms. “There will be tests including echocardiography, stress tests, and ECG. Coronary angiography can occasionally be used to assess the degree of blockages in the arteries supplying the heart with blood,” he added.

Doctors say the length, location, and severity of the disease always determine the course of treatment if major obstructions are found. Disease types include complex diseases with multiple occlusions or involving the left main artery, as well as single or double vessel diseases that can be treated with angioplasty and stenting. “It is necessary to have bypass surgery (CABG) if there are several blockages. To build a new pathway for blood to flow to the heart muscle, CABG may entail grafting blood arteries from other body areas,” said Dr Sakhre.

Major blockages could end up in an acute myocardial infarction, also known as a heart attack, if treatment is not received. This can cause irreversible damage to the heart muscle. The risk of severe heart failure, arrhythmias, stroke, and sudden cardiac death rises with treatment postponement.

Doctors say that while you cannot change your genes, you can significantly reduce your genetic risk of a heart attack through lifestyle modifications. Adopting a heart-healthy lifestyle, including diet, exercise, and not smoking, can offset the impact of genetic predispositions. “Also, routinely get your blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels checked,” said Dr Sakhre.

It is best to see a family history of bypass surgery as an early warning system rather than a verdict. Early detection and, if required, life-saving measures can be rendered possible by identifying the danger and taking proactive measures. Although lifestyle dictates whether the trigger is pressed, heredity may load the pistol with the correct awareness and treatment.