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What You Can’t Control
While there are some atherosclerosis risk factors you can control, there are others that you simply can’t.
No matter what you do, your age and family history are two factors that are out of your hands.
Click through the tabs below to see how these risk factors play a role in the buildup of plaque in arteries,
and then download more information about specific risks.
Remember, even though age and family history are two factors that you cannot control, you can make sure you are
doing more to manage the risk factors you can control. Talk to your doctor and design a plan to help you slow atherosclerosis progression.
Age
Atherosclerosis is a disease that progresses over time. Simply put, the older you get, the more likely it is that plaque has been building up in your arteries, which puts you at an increased risk for the consequences of athero.
Read more about how age affects athero 
So at what age can the ongoing process of athero start to have a serious effect? Some research has shown that athero can begin in early adulthood. Over time, a diet high in fat and cholesterol can lead to high levels of LDL cholesterol in the blood. Eventually, cholesterol can build in the arteries, forming bulges in the artery walls called plaque.
Put Time on Your Side
Because your risk progresses over time, it’s even more important that you make the effort to change the risk factors that you can control. You may not be able to reverse the aging process, but you can make basic lifestyle choices, like eating a healthy diet and getting more exercise to help minimize its negative effects on your health.
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Family History
Just as it's true that the older we are the greater the risk, it's also true that your family's history of heart disease can also increase your risk for atherosclerosis. Many people may be able to find heart disease in their family history, considering that coronary heart disease is a leading cause of death in the United States.
Read more about how age affects athero
Family history is limited to immediate family members. Only parents or brothers and sisters who have been diagnosed with premature heart disease are considered. Although they are part of your extended family, grandparents, cousins, or other distant relatives who have been diagnosed with heart disease are not included when determining whether family history is a risk factor for atherosclerosis.
If family history is a risk factor for you, it's even more important that you make the effort to change the things you can. You may not be able to change your family history, but what you eat and how much exercise you get can help balance your risk.
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Now that you've read about risk factors you can and can't control, it's time to learn about what you can do to slow athero progression.
