Dr Pankaj Garg from the University of East Anglia’s Norwich Medical School has been the principal investigator of this pioneering study. This study presents a novel approach for measuring the heart’s “functional age.” On May 2, the European Heart Journal featured an article on a cutting-edge new approach involving MRI scans. This approach provides a better picture of an individual’s overall cardiac health and can help direct meaningful treatments and lifestyle modifications to avoid deadly cardiovascular events.
Dr. Garg’s research team cross-validated this approach with 366 cardiac patients who reported multiple established cardiac risk factors. These results indicate that many patients, particularly those with diabetes and hypertension, have a heart age significantly older than their chronological age. This points to a dangerous health crisis for these people. This may generate the establishment of personalized medical advice and interventions to reduce the risks of heart disease.
Cheng-Han Chen, MD, medical director for MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center in Laguna Hills, CA. For starters, he pointed out that there is no agreed-upon definition of “heart age.” The research represents an important stride toward creating clinically useful prognostic information that might help target more frequent early intervention.
Understanding Functional Heart Age
Functional heart age can be used by healthcare providers to evaluate heart performance. This approach takes how well the heart is pumping and measures that against what is normal for that person’s age. Dr. Garg said that people with chronic health problems frequently have a functional heart age that’s significantly older than their chronological age. In many instances, this disparity ranges anywhere from a few years to decades.
“For example, a 50-year-old with high blood pressure might have a heart that works like it’s 55. People with health issues like diabetes or obesity often have hearts that are aging faster than they should — sometimes by decades.” – Pankaj Garg
This method offers patients insights into their cardiovascular health, enabling them to make informed decisions about lifestyle and treatment options.
Lifestyle Changes for Heart Health
The study highlights the need to live a heart healthy lifestyle to prevent premature heart aging. Guidelines recommend that adults should participate in a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week. Or you can choose to do 75 minutes of vigorous activity along with strength training at least twice a week. Further, eating a heart-healthy diet that includes a variety of minimally processed foods—particularly vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes—is important.
Dr. Christopher Berg, a board-certified cardiologist at MemorialCare Heart and Vascular Institute, pointed out the dangers of a sedentary lifestyle.
“A sedentary lifestyle causes circulation to slow. The heart muscle weakens and leads to weight gain, high blood pressure, and insulin resistance.” – Christopher Berg
He stressed that prolonged sitting increases inflammation and impairs arterial function. For starters, it increases the risk of developing cardiovascular disease.
The Role of Early Intervention
The repercussions of this study are more than just measuring. They provide opportunities to implement proactive measures in health management, especially for the heart, the study’s main focus. Highlighting the opportunity for early intervention made possible due to functional heart age calculations, Dr. Garg stated that “
“So, this could help doctors step in early to stop heart disease in its tracks… Our new MRI method gives doctors a powerful tool to look inside the heart like never before and spot trouble early — before symptoms even start.” – Pankaj Garg
This method provides key information for patients. It gets them into the habit of making healthier choices.
“It could also be the wake-up call people need to take better care of themselves — whether that’s eating healthier, exercising more, or following their doctor’s advice. It’s about giving people a fighting chance against heart disease.” – Pankaj Garg
Leave a Reply