stroke. You are considered to have a family history of cardiovascular disease if: your father or brother was under the age of 55 when they were diagnosed with cardiovascular disease or your mother or sister was under the age of 65 when they were diagnosed with cardiovascular disease . If you have family history of cardiovascular disease , make sure you tell your doctor or nurse. They may want to check your blood pressure and cholesterol . If you are over 40 years of age, you can visit your doctor and ask for a heart health check to find out your risk of getting cardiovascular disease .