The Article in Brief

Perceived Vulnerability to Heart Disease in Patients With Familial Hypercholesterolemia: A Qualitative Interview Study

Jan C. Frich, MD, MSc, and colleagues

Background Patients' perceptions of how likely they are to get a disease in the future can influence their attitudes toward medical treatment and preventive health measures. This study explores how patients with familial hypercholesterolemia (an inherited condition that causes high cholesterol) view their risk of getting coronary heart disease, which commonly results from the condition.

What This Study Found In this study of 40 patients, family health history influences the ways in which participants' perceive their genetic and inherited risk of coronary heart disease, and the age at which they expect to develop symptoms. They compare themselves with other family members, focusing on sex, cholesterol levels, use of cholesterol-lowering medication, and lifestyle. Experiences such as cardiac illness in the family, other illness experiences, or becoming a parent cause a shift in some participants' sense of vulnerability to heart disease.

Implications

• Among people with familial hypercholesterolemia, unique life experiences and social factors help shape a sense of risk of developing coronary heart disease.
• Knowing how patients understand their family health history and risk of disease can help doctors (1) understand patients' level of readiness for preventive medical care, and (2) tailor medical care to patients' individual needs.