Which constitutional risk factor accounts for a smaller percentage of atherosclerosis cases than age and gender?

Which constitutional risk factor accounts for a smaller percentage of atherosclerosis cases than age and gender?

• A. Smoking
• B. Hypertension
• C. Obesity
• D. Genetics

Answer: (D)

The main idea is how different factors contribute to atherosclerosis across a population, with age and sex as the strongest nonmodifiable drivers. While genetic predisposition clearly influences individual risk, it affects a smaller portion of cases overall compared with the baseline risk added by aging and the sex-based differences in risk. In other words, many people develop disease largely because they get older and, depending on their sex, have a higher baseline risk, whereas genetics pushes risk up in a subset of individuals rather than driving most cases. The other factors listed are important but are modifiable lifestyle or physiological risks, not the inherent, nonmodifiable contributors described here.

The main idea is how different factors contribute to atherosclerosis across a population, with age and sex as the strongest nonmodifiable drivers. While genetic predisposition clearly influences individual risk, it affects a smaller portion of cases overall compared with the baseline risk added by aging and the sex-based differences in risk. In other words, many people develop disease largely because they get older and, depending on their sex, have a higher baseline risk, whereas genetics pushes risk up in a subset of individuals rather than driving most cases. The other factors listed are important but are modifiable lifestyle or physiological risks, not the inherent, nonmodifiable contributors described here.