Even though some cardiac risk factors are inherited -- which means you have no choice in the matter -- many others are controllable. Be sure to check with a cardiology expert about the ones that you can do something about, and be sure you know how to handle the ones you can't.

Your heart is probably your most important single organ, so it's a good idea to get it checked out once a year -- especially if your family has a history of heart disease or diabetes. Your primary care physician will be happy to refer you to a local cardiology clinic.

If you've got high blood pressure, you're likely to have cardiology issues as well. Be sure you stay on an effective medication that works for you, and have regular cardiovascular checkups at least once per year, if not more often. They may be expensive, but you don't want heart disease to sneak up on you.