Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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Study Finds Connection in Heart Disease Risk Between Siblings
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=106D014:3919ACA Eight-year
investigation shows greater health connections between siblings than
to parents





A new study suggests siblings can share a high risk factor of heart
disease. VOA's Amy Katz has more.







Dr. Joanne MurabitoStudies have found health problems, including heart
disease and diabetes, can be hereditary. But a new study by Dr. Joanne
Murabito and her colleagues at the Framingham Heart Study, an
organization in Massachusetts, has found that people with a sibling
who has heart disease are at a higher risk factor for the same
illness.

"Having a sibling with cardiovascular disease increases your risk for
a heart attack by as much as 45 percent compared to people without a
sibling with cardiovascular disease," said Dr. Murabito.

The study, which was published in the Journal of the American Medical
Association, followed 2,500 heart-healthy people who had siblings with
heart disease.

"We followed them for eight years,” said the doctor, “looking for the
occurrence of a cardiovascular event, such as a heart attack, stroke
or blockage in the arteries in their legs."

The study also found there is a higher risk factor in sibling
cardiovascular disease than parental cardiovascular disease.







These sisters admit that they rarely share health information, but the
study shows the benefits of doing soDr. Murabito believes the risk
factor may be explained by a combination of genetics and shared
childhood eating and exercise habits.

These three sisters are heart-healthy, but their brother died of a
heart attack.

"We don't really have dinner-table discussions about our heath," said
one sister.

But Dr. Murabito suggests that siblings should share information about
their heart health with each other and their doctors.


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