Genogram for Mr. and Mrs. X Family Genogram of Heart Disease

Heart Illness

Heart illness encompasses a wide spectrum of disorders that can damage the heart. Blood vessel disorders, coronary artery disease, arrhythmias, and congenital anomalies are among the diseases that come under this category. In the United States, this ailment is the leading cause of death. According to the CDC, over 610,000 individuals die in the United States each year as a result of heart disease (Center for Disease Prevention and Control, 2016). Coronary heart disease is the most common heart illness, killing around 370,000 people each year (Center for Disease Prevention and Control, 2016). The risk factors for heart disease include high blood pressure, obesity, unhealthy diet, age, a family history of early heart disease, smoking, high blood cholesterol and physical inactivity (Center for Disease Prevention and Control, 2016). Although most of these factors can be controlled, family history of early heart disease cannot be changed. Therefore, it is important to undertake a familiar analysis in order to monitor the condition and calculate the possibility of having such a condition. The following case study is based on heart disease condition which affects one family.

Mr. X's Family History

Mr. X is a man aged 49 years. He has never suffered any form of cardiac arrest and according to him; he does not have any symptoms of the same. However, he has a family history of heart disease since his sister suffered a nonfatal MI when she was 42 years of age. In addition, his father also suffered an MI when he was in his 50s. However, the conditions were not fatal and were managed medically. Although his sister fared on well, his father's condition deteriorated, and he had to undergo a CABG surgery three years ago. Although Mr. X does not smoke, he is physically inactive due to the nature of his work and also takes a lot of red wine. His wife has suffered a non-fatal MI severally in the past five years, but neither of her parents had a heart disease. The couple has one son who has shown symptoms of heart disease. The following is the family’s genogram.

Genogram

Above is a three-generational family pedigree which starts with Mr. and Mrs. X’s parents. In this first generation, only Mr. X’s father has a history of heart disease. However, the mother does not have any history of heart disease. Both of Mrs. X’s parents have no history of heart disease. In the second generation, Mr. X does not have any symptoms of heart disease, but his sister and his wife have a history of heart disease. The third generation is represented by Mr. and Mrs. X’s son who has symptoms of myocardial infarction.

References

Center for Disease Prevention and Control. (2016). Heart Disease. National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion: CDC.