Study Finds Silent Heart Plaque in Nearly One in Thirteen Young Adults
· World · Indian Express, NBC News
A comprehensive study published in The New England Journal of Medicine reveals that silent atherosclerosis can begin developing at a remarkably young age. Researchers examining 16,808 adults aged 18 to 70 across Denmark and Spain without known cardiovascular disease detected artery plaque in 8.7% of men and 6.7% of women aged 18 to 29. Overall, 57.1% of all participants across all age brackets showed detectable plaque build-up. Medical experts emphasize that finding plaque does not mean young individuals are destined for heart attacks, but rather highlights the need for early risk factor monitoring. Cardiologists recommend checking cholesterol, blood pressure, blood sugar, and family history starting from age 18 to alter lifetime cardiovascular trajectories.
Why it matters
The findings underscore the importance of early cardiovascular screening and lifestyle intervention among young adults before silent plaque buildup leads to severe heart complications later in life.
Read the original report — Indian Express
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