Study Reveals High Prevalence of Silent Atherosclerosis in Young Adults
A new study involving nearly 17,000 adults in Denmark and Spain has found that atherosclerosis, a silent disease that can lead to cardiovascular issues, is already present in significant numbers of young adults. The research indicates that more than one-third of men in their 30s show signs of this condition, highlighting the need for early detection and potential changes in cardiovascular risk assessment.
A recent study conducted by cardiologists Henning Bundgaard from Copenhagen University Hospital and Borja Ibáñez from the Spanish National Centre for Cardiovascular Research has shed light on the prevalence of silent atherosclerosis, a condition that can lead to serious cardiovascular diseases. The study involved nearly 17,000 adults aged 18 to 70 from Denmark and Spain and aimed to understand how early this condition can develop and how common it is at various life stages. The findings, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, reveal that more than 57 percent of participants had signs of atherosclerosis, with significant variations based on age and sex.
Atherosclerosis is characterized by the buildup of plaque in the arteries, which can lead to heart attacks and strokes. The researchers defined silent atherosclerosis as the presence of plaque in the carotid and femoral arteries, as well as the coronary arteries, in individuals without known cardiovascular disease. Among the youngest participants, aged 18 to 29, approximately 1 in 13 already exhibited signs of this condition. The prevalence increased dramatically in the 30s, with 34.6 percent of men and 21.3 percent of women showing detectable plaque.
The study also highlighted that men tend to develop atherosclerosis earlier than women, with a difference of about 5 to 10 years. By the ages of 60 to 70, only 1.9 percent of men and 8.1 percent of women had no detectable plaque. Moreover, the extent of the disease increased with age, as evidenced by the rise in the number of affected arteries and the volume of plaque detected.
The research points to a significant disconnect between traditional cardiovascular risk assessments and the actual presence of atherosclerosis. Many individuals with detectable atherosclerosis did not fall into the high-risk category according to standard risk estimation tools. This suggests that current methods may underestimate the risk for younger adults, who may benefit from earlier detection of the disease.
While the findings do not advocate for routine imaging for atherosclerosis at this stage, they emphasize the potential for imaging to complement existing risk assessment strategies. The researchers plan to further investigate whether imaging-guided prevention can effectively reduce the progression of atherosclerosis compared to current practices. This could lead to more personalized and precise approaches to cardiovascular health, allowing for earlier interventions and potentially reducing the burden of cardiovascular disease in the future.
