- Cardiovascular diseases, including heart attacks, heart failure, and strokes, rank as the primary causes of death worldwide.
- Research previously identified several lifestyle factors that can lower heart disease risk.
- A new study highlights that over 99% of individuals who suffered a heart attack, heart failure, or stroke had at least one of four significant cardiovascular risk factors above recommended levels beforehand.
- Among the four major risk factors examined, high blood pressure was found to be the most prevalent issue.
According to estimates, about 85% of deaths caused by cardiovascular disease are linked to heart attacks and strokes. Additionally, over 64 million people globally suffer from heart failure.
In this latest study, which involved over 9,000 adults, it was revealed that more than 99% of those who had a heart attack, heart failure, or stroke were found to have at least one of the following four major risk factors—high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, abnormal fasting glucose levels, or tobacco use—above healthy thresholds.
High blood pressure was notably the most common risk factor among participants.
For this research, medical data from over 9 million adults in South Korea and nearly 7,000 adults in the United States were examined.
Participants were monitored for up to 20 years, which provided the researchers with extensive data on blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose, and smoking habits before the onset of any cardiovascular event.
Philip Greenland, MD, an expert at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and the study’s senior author, expressed skepticism regarding previous studies that suggested major modifiable risk factors were often missing in people who faced cardiovascular issues. He emphasized the importance of long-term data in understanding risk exposure.
This study specifically addressed what they defined as the four key modifiable risk factors for heart disease, basing their criteria on the American Heart Association’s ideal health definitions, which noted that unhealthy thresholds include:
- Blood pressure of 120/80 mm Hg or above, or receiving treatment for it.
- Fasting glucose levels of 100 mg/dL or above, diabetes diagnosis, or on treatment.
- Current or past tobacco usage.
- Total cholesterol levels of 200 mg/dL or higher, or on treatment.
Greenland pointed out that while some other factors related to cardiovascular disease, such as genetics, might not be modifiable, these four can potentially be managed. The presence of these modifiable risks in almost every case presents a significant opportunity for preventive measures.
Ultimately, the study found that over 99% of participants had at least one risk factor at unhealthy levels before experiencing heart failure, stroke, or heart attack.
Among the identified risks, the research showed that high blood pressure was the most significant, impacting over 95% of South Korean participants and more than 93% of U.S. participants.
Greenfield remarked on the importance of recognizing high blood pressure, as it often goes unnoticed due to being asymptomatic, yet it is easily detectable. Awareness and treatment of this condition are crucial.
The researchers also noted that even women under 60, typically thought to have the lowest cardiovascular risk, showed that over 95% had at least one non-optimal risk factor before a critical event.
“In summary, we’ve known for years that a limited number of modifiable risk factors exist for heart disease, and at least one, frequently more, is present before heart-related incidents. It’s essential that these four factors are evaluated during every medical appointment, and if even slightly elevated, steps should be taken to address them to avert heart attacks, strokes, or heart failure.”
– Philip Greenland, MD
“Moving forward, the focus should be on enhancing the application of established knowledge,” Greenland added.
MNT had a conversation with Cheng-Han Chen, MD, an interventional cardiologist who was not involved in this study, regarding its implications.
“Cardiovascular disease remains the top cause of death in the United States,” Chen noted. “This study reinforces the need for proactive screening and management of heart disease risk factors to alleviate the burden of this significant issue in our society.”
He further emphasized that the study should encourage greater public health efforts towards screening and preventing cardiovascular disease risk factors.
