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NIH Radio |
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NHLBI Study: Having Elevated Risk Factors in Young Adulthood Significantly Raises Risk of Coronary Calcium Later On Right Click to Download MP3 File Brief Description: Transcript: AKINSO: Having elevated risk factors as a young adult increases the likelihood of coronary calcium deposits later in life, according to a study by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. Although on average, heart disease risk factors are less common in young adulthood, elevated risk factors at this age predict the development of later asymptomatic heart disease better than levels measured later when they are typically higher. 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. Dr. Catherine Loria, lead author of the study, said they are learning more about the beginnings of heart disease and how to prevent it. LORIA: Another important finding was that risk factor levels of young adults in their twenties were just as informative as levels measured later of having coronary calcium, which suggest that we should begin assessing heart disease risk as early as possible. AKINSO: In the study, coronary artery calcium was more prevalent among men than women and among white men when compared to African American men. Dr. Loria said 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. This is Wally Akinso at the National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland. |
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This page was last reviewed on April 27, 2007 . |
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National Institutes of Health (NIH) |
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