Heart attacks could be predicted YEARS in advance via X-rays
Heart attacks could be predicted YEARS in advance as research shows that people with high levels of calcium in the aorta are up to four times more likely to be precipitated
- A new study suggests that heart attacks can be predicted from a simple X-ray
- High levels of calcium in the aorta can increase the risk of a heart attack
- Factors that stimulate arteriosclerosis include poor nutrition, smoking and genetics
Heart attacks could be predicted years in advance – via a simple X-ray, according to new research.
People with high levels of calcium in the aorta – an important blood vessel that nourishes the organ – are up to four times more likely to be precipitated.
It offers hope for more accurate screening for cardiovascular disease – the world’s leading cause of death.
Identifying the ‘ticking time bomb’ could save tens of thousands of lives per year.
Heart attacks could be predicted years in advance – via a simple X-ray, according to new research (stock image)
Lead author of the study, Professor Josh Lewis, of Edith Cowan University in Perth, Australia, said: “Heart disease is often an assassin.
Many people are not aware that they are at risk or that they have early warning signs, such as calcification of the abdomen or coronary artery.
The abdominal aorta is one of the first places where calcium build-up can occur in the arteries – even before the heart.
‘If we notice this early, we can intervene and make lifestyle and medication changes to help stop the progression of the condition.’
Non-invasive imaging instruments such as CT (computed tomography) scans can produce detailed cross-sectional images of organs and tissues, including the aortic artery.
It can harden when calcium builds up in the wall – and cause cardiac arrest. The condition called AAC (calcification of the abdominal aorta) also causes strokes.
An analysis of data from 52 studies around the world found that the risk of either is two to four times higher.
The study also found the more extensive the mineral, the greater the danger. This was especially true for people with chronic kidney disease.
Non-invasive imaging tools such as CT (computed tomography) scans can produce detailed cross-sectional images of organs and tissues, including the aortic artery (stock image)
Factors that stimulate arteriosclerosis include poor nutrition, a sedentary lifestyle, smoking and genetics.
Professor Lewis hopes the discovery will lead more people to understand their own risk of heart attack or stroke.
He added: “ Calcification of the abdominal aorta is often seen incidentally in many routine tests, such as lateral spine scans from bone density machines or X-rays, and now we have a much better idea of the prognosis in these people when seen.
Factors that promote arteriosclerosis include poor diet, sedentary lifestyle, smoking, and genetics (stock image)
This can provide early warning to doctors to investigate and estimate their patient’s risk of heart attack or stroke.
“Ultimately, if we can identify this condition earlier, people can make lifestyle changes and start preventive treatments earlier, potentially saving many lives in the future.”
The study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, builds on his recent research on OC using bone density scans and AI (artificial intelligence).
Dr. Amanda Buttery, of the National Heart Foundation of Australia, said: ‘The researchers found evidence of abdominal aortic calcification in patients with no known cardiovascular disease, suggesting that a more comprehensive cardiovascular risk assessment is required – including blood pressure and cholesterol tests. or a heart defect. Health check.
“The findings are promising and the Heart Foundation would like to see more research in this area.”
Every year in the UK, more than 100,000 people die of a heart attack or related stroke. In the US, the figure is up to eight times higher.
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