 |
|
Having elevated risk factors in young adulthood raises risk of coronary calcium later on
April 17, 2007Having above optimal levels of risk factors for heart disease between the ages of 18 and 30 can mean a two to three times greater risk of later developing coronary calcium, a strong predictor of heart disease, according to results of a new study from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) of the National Institutes of Health.
Although on average, heart disease risk factors are less common in young adulthood, elevated risk factors levels at this age predict the development of later asymptomatic heart disease better than levels measured later when they are typically higher. Smoking, having an elevated body mass index (BMI), or having above optimal levels of blood pressure, LDL "bad" cholesterol, and blood sugar in early adulthood are linked to the development of calcium deposits in the arteries of the heart 15 years later. Other studies have found that the amount of coronary calcium correlates with the amount of atherosclerosis or hardening of the coronary arteries and is related to the likelihood of developing heart disease in the future. Measuring coronary calcium is a noninvasive way of determining heart disease before it becomes symptomatic.
Results of the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults (CARDIA) study are published in the April 24, 2007 issue of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, which is posted online on April 17.
"These findings remind us that we should begin assessing our heart disease risk as early as possible, with a focus on prevention," said Elizabeth G. Nabel, M.D., NHLBI Director. "All of the risk factors we assessed are modifiable. Young adults who achieve and maintain optimal risk factor levels early on could enter middle age with healthy hearts."
The CARDIA study initially measured risk factor levels in 1985 in a group of 5,115 African American and white young adults, ages 18 to 30, who were then followed for 15 years. The study took place in four U.S. cities: Birmingham, Ala., Chicago, Minneapolis, Minn., and Oakland, Calif.
For young adults with above optimal levels of risk factors, the specific risk of developing coronary calcium was:
- Three times greater for those with blood glucose greater than 110 mg/dL compared to those who had glucose levels of 110 mg/dL or lower.
- Two times greater for those with an LDL "bad cholesterol above 130 mg/dL compared to those with 130 or less mg/dL
- Two times greater for those who smoked compared to those who did not smoke
- One and a half times greater for those with blood pressure above 120/80 mm/Hg compared to those with blood pressure of 120/80 mm/Hg or less
- One and a half times greater for those with a BMI over 25 kg/m2 compared to those with a BMI of 25 kg/m2 or less.
Coronary artery calcium was measured through CT scans, computer images of the chest, taken in the fifteenth year of the study, when the participants were ages 33 to 45. Of the 3,043 participants who were scanned, 9.6 percent had detectable coronary artery calcium. Coronary artery calcium was more prevalent among men than women, (15 versus 5.1 percent) and among white men compared with African American men (17.6 versus 11.3 percent). Men and women 40 to 45 years old were twice as likely to have coronary artery calcium than those 33 to 39.
Guidelines for risk assessment call for cholesterol to be measured beginning at age 20, and for blood pressure to be measured every two years in adulthood. Blood glucose should be measured at least every three years beginning at age 45, and earlier for persons at risk.
"As this study illustrates, we are learning more and more about the beginnings of heart disease and how to prevent it," said Catherine Loria, PhD., lead study author and nutritional epidemiologist with NHLBI. "Young men and women should work with their doctors to learn about their risk, and then do everything they can to reduce it, such as eating a healthy diet and being physically active," she added.
To help prevent heart disease, individuals should avoid smoking, seek to achieve and maintain a healthy weight, choose a diet that is low in sodium, saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol, and get at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most, or preferably all, days of the week.
NIH/National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
"These findings remind us that we should begin assessing our heart disease risk as early as possible, with a focus on prevention," said Elizabeth G. Nabel, M.D., NHLBI Director. "All of the risk factors we assessed are modifiable. Young adults who achieve and maintain optimal risk factor levels early on could enter middle age with healthy hearts."
The CARDIA study initially measured risk factor levels in 1985 in a group of 5,115 African American and white young adults, ages 18 to 30, who were then followed for 15 years. The study took place in four U.S. cities: Birmingham, Ala., Chicago, Minneapolis, Minn., and Oakland, Calif.
For young adults with above optimal levels of risk factors, the specific risk of developing coronary calcium was:
- Three times greater for those with blood glucose greater than 110 mg/dL compared to those who had glucose levels of 110 mg/dL or lower.
- Two times greater for those with an LDL "bad cholesterol above 130 mg/dL compared to those with 130 or less mg/dL
- Two times greater for those who smoked compared to those who did not smoke
- One and a half times greater for those with blood pressure above 120/80 mm/Hg compared to those with blood pressure of 120/80 mm/Hg or less
- One and a half times greater for those with a BMI over 25 kg/m2 compared to those with a BMI of 25 kg/m2 or less.
Coronary artery calcium was measured through CT scans, computer images of the chest, taken in the fifteenth year of the study, when the participants were ages 33 to 45. Of the 3,043 participants who were scanned, 9.6 percent had detectable coronary artery calcium. Coronary artery calcium was more prevalent among men than women, (15 versus 5.1 percent) and among white men compared with African American men (17.6 versus 11.3 percent). Men and women 40 to 45 years old were twice as likely to have coronary artery calcium than those 33 to 39.
Guidelines for risk assessment call for cholesterol to be measured beginning at age 20, and for blood pressure to be measured every two years in adulthood. Blood glucose should be measured at least every three years beginning at age 45, and earlier for persons at risk.
"As this study illustrates, we are learning more and more about the beginnings of heart disease and how to prevent it," said Catherine Loria, PhD., lead study author and nutritional epidemiologist with NHLBI. "Young men and women should work with their doctors to learn about their risk, and then do everything they can to reduce it, such as eating a healthy diet and being physically active," she added.
To help prevent heart disease, individuals should avoid smoking, seek to achieve and maintain a healthy weight, choose a diet that is low in sodium, saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol, and get at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most, or preferably all, days of the week.
NIH/National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute
Heart Disease News and Current Heart Disease Events RSSLow-birth-weight children should have their blood pressure checked, researchers find
Blood pressure in low-birth-weight children younger than 3 years of age not only can be measured but should be, researchers at UT Southwestern Medical Center have found.
Obese people with asthma have nearly 5 times greater risk of hospitalization for asthma
Obese people who have asthma are nearly five times more likely to be hospitalized for the condition than non-obese people with asthma, according to a Kaiser Permanente study published in the September issue of the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology.
A home early warning system for cardiac patients
Heart disease is the number one cause of death in Europe and early diagnosis is essential to save lives. Monitoring the heart's rhythm and electrical activity in real time using an electrocardiogram (ECG) provides vital information about abnormalities and gives clues to the nature of a problem.
Loss of sleep, even for a single night, increases inflammation in the body
Loss of sleep, even for a few short hours during the night, can prompt one's immune system to turn against healthy tissue and organs.
Battling Diabetes with Beta Cells
Affecting eight percent of America's population, diabetes can lead to blindness, kidney failure, strokes and heart disease. Thanks to Tel Aviv University researchers, a new cure -- based on advances in cell therapy -- may be within reach.
The future of non-invasive cardiac imaging
Imaging has gained attention in many areas of medicine but its relevance and importance in clinical cardiology cannot be underestimated.
Sports-related sudden cardiac death is reduced by pre-participation cardiovascular screening
Young competitive athletes are perceived by the general population to be the healthiest members of society. The possibility that highly trained athletes may have a potentially serious cardiac condition that can predispose to life-threatening tachyarrhythmias or sudden cardiac death seems paradoxical.
Class of diabetes drugs carries significant cardiovascular risks
A class of oral drugs used to treat type 2 diabetes may make heart failure worse, according to an editorial published online in Heart Wednesday by two Wake Forest University School of Medicine faculty members.
Not all fat is created equal
A Temple University study finds fat in obese patients is "sick" when compared to fat in lean patients.
Young Type-2 Diabetic Men Suffer Low Testosterone Levels, Study Shows
Young men with type 2 diabetes have significantly low levels of testosterone, endocrinologists at the University at Buffalo have found -- a condition that could have a critical effect on their quality of life and on their ability to father children.
More Heart Disease News Articles
 | The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted and the Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss and Long-term Health by T. Colin Campbell, Thomas M. Campbell II Referred to as the "Grand Prix of epidemiology" by The New York Times, this study examines more than 350 variables of health and nutrition with surveys from 6,500 adults in more than 2,500 counties across China and Taiwan, and conclusively demonstrates the link between nutrition and heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. While revealing that proper nutrition can have a dramatic effect on reducing... |
 | Eat to Live: The Revolutionary Formula for Fast and Sustained Weight Loss by Joel Fuhrman When Mehmet Oz or any of New York's leading doctors has a patient whose life depends on losing weight, they call on Joel Fuhrman, M.D. In EAT TO LIVE, Dr. Fuhrman offers his healthy, effective, and scientifically proven plan for shedding radical amounts of weight quickly, and keeping it off.Losing weight under Dr. Fuhrman's plan is not about willpower, it is about knowledge. The key to this... |
 | The DASH Diet Action Plan: Based on the National Institutes of Health Research: Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension by Marla Heller The DASH Diet (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) has been proven in several research studies, sponsored by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), to lower blood pressure and cholesterol without medication. It is the diet recommended by the NIH for lowering blood pressure. The 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend this eating plan for everyone. And the DASH diet forms the basis... |
 | Pathophysiology of Heart Disease: A Collaborative Project of Medical Students and Faculty (PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF HEART DISEASE (LILLY)) Completely rewritten and updated for its Fourth Edition, this best-selling text is a comprehensive, clear, concise, and easy-to-understand introduction to cardiovascular diseases. It is written by internationally recognized Harvard Medical School faculty and select medical students, and is the best text to bridge basic physiology with clinical care of patients. This edition provides updated... |
 | Good Calories, Bad Calories by Gary Taubes In this groundbreaking book, the result of seven years of research in every science connected with the impact of nutrition on health, award-winning science writer Gary Taubes shows us that almost everything we believe about the nature of a healthy diet is wrong.For decades we have been taught that fat is bad for us, carbohydrates better, and that the key to a healthy weight is eating less and... |
 | Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease: The Revolutionary, Scientifically Proven, Nutrition-Based Cure by Caldwell B. Esselstyn A powerful call for a paradigm shift in heart disease therapy. Based on the groundbreaking results of a twenty-year nutritional study by Dr. Esselstyn, a preeminent researcher and clinician, this book illustrates that a plant-based, oil-free diet can not only prevent and stop the progression of heart disease but can also reverse its effects. The proof lies in the incredible outcomes for patients... |
 | The Amazing Way to Reverse Heart Disease: Naturally : Beyond the Hypertension Hype; Why Drugs Are Not the Answer by Eric R. Braverman, Dasha Braverman It's hard to believe you're dying when you feel fit and fine...but millions of Americans are harboring unaware a condition that can rob them or kill them outright--hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, the most common form of heart disease. Even when hypertension is diagnosed, treatment is usually based on drugs, most with dismal side effects, expensive, and of limited usefulness. ... |
 | The Anti-Inflammation Diet and Recipe Book: Protect Yourself and Your Family from Heart Disease, Arthritis, Diabetes, Allergies - and More by Jessica K. Black The connection between inflammation and heart disease, arthritis, and other chronic ailments has become increasingly clear. Many food allergies and poor dietary choices over stimulate the immune system and cause inflammatory responses that erode the body’s wellness and pave the path for ill health. Based on her naturopathic practice, Jessica Black has devised a complete program for how to... |
 | Flax Oil As a True Aid Against Arthritis Heart Infarction Cancer and Other Diseases (3rd Edition) by Johanna Budwig |
 | The Coconut Oil Miracle (Previously published as The Healing Miracle of Coconut Oil) by Bruce Fife, Jon J. Kabara Use nature's elixir to lose weight, prevent heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, and beautify skin and hair. Can saturated fat be good for you? Natural coconut oil-not the hydrogenated version often found in processed foods-is a saturated fat, but not the kind your doctor has warned you about. Studies have shown that this uniquely curative oil actually has innumerable health benefits ranging... |
| © 2008 BrightSurf.com |