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CHICAGO, January 28, 2026 – Men develop heart disease significantly earlier then women, with detectable differences emerging as early as their mid-30s, according to a northwestern Medicine study spanning over three decades. It’s a sobering reminder that heart health isn’t a one-size-fits-all conversation, and preventative measures need to be tailored-and started sooner-for men.
This long-term research underscores the importance of early heart disease screening, particularly for men, to identify and address risk factors before they escalate.
- Men experience the initial stages of heart disease roughly seven years before women.
- The risk gap between sexes begins to widen around age 35.
- Traditional risk factors don’t fully explain the disparity,suggesting other biological or social influences are at play.
- Preventive care visits among young men could significantly improve heart health outcomes.
Q: At what age shoudl men begin prioritizing heart health screening?
A: While guidelines frequently enough focus on adults over 40, this study suggests that men should begin proactive heart health screening and prevention efforts in their mid-30s, as that’s when the risk gap starts to noticeably widen.
early Warning Signs: Why the Timing Matters
The study, analyzing data from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in young adults (CARDIA) study, followed more than 5,100 Black and white adults-initially ages 18 to 30 in the mid-1980s-through 2020. This extended timeframe allowed researchers to pinpoint when cardiovascular disease risk began to diverge between the sexes.Men reached a 5% incidence of cardiovascular disease-encompassing heart attack, stroke, and heart failure-around age 50.5, compared to 57.5 for women.
The disparity was most pronounced with coronary heart disease. Men experienced a 2% incidence of this condition more than a decade earlier than women. stroke rates remained similar between the groups, and differences in heart failure became apparent later in life. “This was still a relatively young sample-everyone was under 65 at last follow-up-and stroke and heart failure tend to develop later in life,” explained Alexa Freedman, Assistant Professor of Preventive Medicine at Northwestern University’s Feinberg school of Medicine.
Beyond Cholesterol: Uncovering Hidden Factors
Researchers investigated whether standard risk factors-blood pressure, cholesterol, blood sugar, smoking, diet, physical activity, and body weight-could account for the earlier onset of heart disease in men. While hypertension played a partial role,these factors didn’t fully explain the difference,indicating that other biological or social elements are likely involved.