The heart is a vital internal organ that may get older compared to the other parts of the body. In a new study conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the investigators aimed to predict whether the heart age and the chronological age of individuals match or not.
Cardiovascular disease is one of the most common causes of morbidity and mortality across the nation. The risk of developing this disease may be determined by a variety of assessment and evaluation tools in the clinical setting; however, a new method has emerged to predict cardiovascular risks. The technique entails comparing the patient's chronological age and heart age, or the predicted age of the vascular system using a cardiovascular risk factor data.
The study conducted by the CDC's Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention predicted the difference in the heart age and chronological age of U.S. adults who were 30 to 74 years old, and later investigated other factors such as demographic, social and regional distinctions.
The researchers utilized the weighted Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System data obtained in 2011 and 2013. They then applied the said information to the Framingham risk score models, which are non-laboratory based and sex-specific, and later stratified the findings according to race, age, educational attainment, income bracket and state of the participants. The final results were interpreted and translated into heart age figures that are standardized by age. The researchers also calculated the mean excess heart age and later compared it across groups.
The findings of the study, published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, show that adult men and women have predicted heart ages that are 7.8 and 5.4 years older than their chronological age respectively. Upon consideration of race/ethnicity, the researchers found that the oldest heart age was noted among those of non-Hispanic black descent, with men having a heart age of 58.7 years and the women 58.9 years.
In comparison, non-Hispanic white men and women have a heart age of 55.3 years and 52.5 years respectively. The lowest rate of excess heart age was observed in individuals residing in Utah, with 5.8 years in men and 2.8 years in women. Meanwhile, the highest excess heart age was noted in Mississippi men and women, with 10.1 and 9.1 years respectively.
The results are alarming considering that the leading cause of death in the country is heart disease, says Quanhe Yang, the study lead author and a scientist at the CDC. Nonetheless, he emphasized that simple measures may be performed to achieve a younger heart.
In conclusion, the researchers think that predicting the heart age of individuals may provide a simplified way of sharing risk information among people. This may also encourage more members of the public to lead healthier lifestyles and participate in recommended health measures. Ultimately, determining the heart age may inspire communities to strengthen their cardiovascular programs and make them widely available to the public.
Photo: Gabriela Pinto | Flickr
