Recent research by Pankaj Garg, MD, PhD, found that determining the functional age of the heart may be critical. This understanding could allow for earlier intervention in cardiac problems. This novel method harnesses artificial intelligence powered by a simple mathematical equation to study cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) pictures. It provides a good indication of how someone’s heart health compares with their calendar age.
The study’s control group consisted of 191 healthy reference participants. Safety of Geisinger’s cohort Researchers compared this group to a testing cohort of 366 people, all of whom had at least one comorbidity. They found that participants between the ages of 30 and 69 with high blood pressure had a greater functional heart age. Their healthier classmates did not show this same increased risk. This research has the potential to transform how healthcare providers assess their patients’ cardiovascular risk. It will further encourage patients to make healthier lifestyle choices.
Obesity, Garg says, is one of the greatest threats to our heart health. The worst finding in the study was that people deemed obese, with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or greater, had a functional heart age. Even more surprisingly, their hearts were 45 years older than their real age! This shocking number points to a clear and immediate need for more targeted interventions for people who are overweight and suffer with obesity.
Diabetes was found to be a key contributor to elevated functional heart age, affecting both sexes, especially among those aged 30–69. The research found that the highest percentage of functional heart age increase was seen in the 40 to 49 year age group. These findings emphasize the role chronic conditions play in heart health. They refocus our attention on the need for regular monitoring and preventive care to help keep our hearts healthy.
“We have discovered an equation—a simple math formula—that uses movies from heart MRI scans to figure out how old your heart looks. For healthy folks, their heart age matches their real age. But if someone has conditions like high blood pressure, diabetes, a wonky heartbeat, or extra weight, their heart can look way older—about 4.6 years older on average. For people with a lot of extra weight, their hearts looked up to 45 years older!” – Pankaj Garg, MD, PhD
The cardiac MRI scans performed in this study are entirely non-invasive, and as such, generalizable. They are quick—just a few minutes to estimate heart age. This efficiency allows for the rapid assessment of large-scale. In turn, it can help identify potential cardiac concerns sooner and avoid serious outcomes such as heart failure.
People between the ages of 70 and 85 years old who were diabetics with high blood pressure had better functional heart ages than non-diabetic, normotensives within the same age range. Continually misjudged this opaque effectiveness, health and success differentiates cardiovascular features. This highlights the urgent importance of understanding how chronic diseases impact each other in the long term.
This study further emphasizes the importance of specific cardiac parameters. Of these 169 healthy participants, left atrium end-diastolic volume and left atrium ejection fraction had the strongest correlations with age. These metrics may be important metrics to use in being able to assess functional heart age as well as general cardiac health.
“By comparing a patient’s ‘functioning heart age’ with their ‘chronological age,’ clinicians can effectively communicate ‘cardiovascular risk’ to encourage lifestyle and therapeutic modifications,” said Patrick Kee, MD, PhD. “This approach can also serve as a tangible measure to motivate patients toward preventive strategies such as weight management, blood pressure control, and diabetes management.”
These results from Garg’s studies, albeit preliminary, offer a novel approach to help encourage patients to make healthier health behaviors a lasting reality. An assessment of functional heart age can identify individuals at risk for future clinical events and potentially evaluate responses to therapeutic interventions.
Cheng-Han Chen, MD, pointed out these advantages of this approach. He stated that it could motivate patients to improve their lifestyles while simultaneously identifying those at risk for serious cardiovascular events.
“An assessment of a ‘functional heart age’ (either through imaging or other biomarkers) can potentially motivate patients to improve their lifestyles, identify patients at risk for future clinical events, and possibly even evaluate response to clinical therapeutics and interventions.” – Cheng-Han Chen, MD
This study is an exciting step toward using functional heart age to predict cardiovascular health. Like any piece of legislation, it has its shortcomings. Patrick Kee pointed out that the research lacked long-term data and did not encompass various other measurements that may contribute to heart health.
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