Study: Many people over 40 have ‘hidden’ heart disease

by time news

Study: Many people over 40 have ‘hidden’ heart disease


Wednesday – 7 Ramadan 1444 AH – March 29, 2023 AD

London: «Asharq Al-Awsat»

A new study reveals that many people over the age of 40 may have a “hidden heart disease”; Heart disease continues to kill hundreds of thousands of people across the United States each year. It recorded nearly 700,000 deaths from heart disease in 2020 alone, according to reports by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Those who smoke, have high blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, or obesity, as well as individuals who use excessive alcohol, do little exercise, or eat an unhealthy diet tend to have an increased risk of heart disease.
And sometimes, early indicators of heart disease can develop, which are a red flag that someone may be at risk for an event such as a heart attack, according to experts at the Deaconess Health System.
These symptoms can include difficulty sleeping, constant fatigue, waves of chest pain that come and go, shortness of breath, dizziness or fluid retention.
However, a new study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that even asymptomatic individuals may have subclinical heart disease (a form of heart disease that is not asymptomatic).
In this context, the researchers examined 9,533 people in Denmark who were at least 40 years old and had no symptoms or a diagnosis of ischemic heart disease. Slightly more than half of the patients had no signs of subclinical heart disease, while 36 percent of the patients were found to have non-obstructive heart disease and 10 percent had obstructive heart disease, according to the site’s report; The study team found that 10 percent of patients with obstructive heart disease had an eight-fold increased risk of heart attack.
Rather than waiting for more troubling symptoms of heart disease to appear before taking action, experts say the study highlights the importance and necessity of early and in-depth screening of a patient’s cardiovascular risk. This is especially true because a patient with “subclinical” heart disease may not show any signs of heart disease on a standard stress exercise test.
For his part, cardiologist Dr. Matthew Twomey says, “Computed tomography is a major tool available today that allows us to see below the surface and identify atherosclerosis (plaque buildup in the arteries) in its subclinical stage.” He therefore recommends that patients discuss their heart disease risk with their physicians to determine whether they should have a more comprehensive screening.


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