Y chromosome inherited from their fathers affects men’s risk of coronary heart disease

It is well known that males have a higher incidence of coronary heart disease than females due, in part, to the Y chromosome they inherit from their fathers.  To investigate the role of the Y chromosome further, a team from the University of Leicester carried out research to determine whether genetic variations in the Y-chromosome affect risk for males.

As not all Y chromosomes are the same, British scientists have revealed that men with differing types of Y chromosome were at differing risk of heart disease. They tested nearly 3,000 British males, and found that those carrying the I-haplogroup variant had a 55 percent higher risk of coronary heart disease.