Heart attack risk factors

Knowing your risks is the first step to avoiding a heart attack or stroke. There’s no one cause for heart disease, but there are risk factors that increase your chance of developing it. 

You might not know you have some of these risk factors. The best way to find out your overall risk is to see your GP for a heart health check. 

Risks you can’t change

There are a few risks you can’t do much about:

• Age: As you get older, your risk of heart disease increases.
• Gender: Men are at higher risk of heart disease. Women’s risk grows and may be equal to men after menopause.
• Ethnic background: People of some origins such as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, or people from the Indian sub-continent, have higher risk.
• Family history: If someone in your family has had a heart attack, speak to your GP about your risk.

Risks you can change

Most heart disease risk factors can be changed, and there’s plenty you can do about them: