Lifestyle choices and obesity can potentially accelerate heart aging by 5-45 years.
Heart health evaluation is crucial for early detection of issues and finding effective treatment solutions. A recent study explores a method to calculate the functional age of a person's heart compared to their biological age.
The study leverages a model based on cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and found that certain health conditions, such as obesity and atrial fibrillation (AFib), and unhealthy lifestyle choices can speed up the functional age of the heart.
Researchers examined a healthy reference population of 191 participants and compared them to a testing population of 366 participants with at least one comorbidity, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, or obesity. They also used another group of 25 people as a "preliminary external validation" cohort.
By focusing on components of heart structure and function, researchers developed a model to help determine the age of participants' hearts. The final model considered left atrial end-systolic volume and left atrial ejection fraction, which evaluate the function of the left upper chamber of the heart.
Unhealthy participants saw their heart ages exceed their chronological age, with cardiac magnetic resonance-derived heart ages being almost five years older than their real age. Obesity seemed to significantly increase functional heart age, with more weight resulting in higher heart years. Participants with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or higher had a functional heart age 45 years higher than their chronological age.
The study findings were published in the European Heart Journal Open. While it does offer an exciting step towards more effective cardiac health monitoring, it also has limitations such as estimations, a higher risk for survivor bias, lack of long-term data, and potentially biased calculations.
Despite these limitations, determining the functional age of the heart could serve as a helpful preventive measure. "An assessment of a 'functional heart age'...can potentially motivate patients to improve their lifestyles, identify patients at risk for future clinical events, and evaluate response to clinical therapeutics and interventions," says Dr. Cheng-Han Chen, a board-certified interventional cardiologist.
In essence, this new approach helps reveal the heart's true functional age, providing a precise indicator of cardiovascular health that goes beyond chronological age alone. It uncovers associations between premature cardiac aging and conditions like diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and atrial fibrillation. This knowledge can aid in earlier diagnosis, tailored treatments, and potentially limiting further heart deterioration and reducing cardiovascular risks.
- This new method estimation aims to calculate the functional age of an individual's heart compared to their biological age.
- The research concentrates on seniors, both healthy and those with other heart diseases, such as hypertension or diabetes.
- Participants with unhealthy lifestyles and conditions like obesity showed their heart ages being more than their actual age.
- The study indicates that unhealthy diets and high BMI significantly increase the functional age of a person's heart.
- Cardiovascular diseases, like atrial fibrillation (AFib), can also speed up the functional age of the heart.
- By focusing on the components of heart structure and function, doctors can use this model to determine a participant's heart age.
- The model takes into account left atrial end-systolic volume and left atrial ejection fraction to evaluate the function of the heart's upper chamber.
- Older individuals with a BMI of 40 or higher might have a functional heart age 45 years higher than their chronological age.
- The findings of the study, published in the European Heart Journal Open, can potentially motivate seniors to adopt healthier lifestyles and manage their medical conditions.
- This innovative approach can help in earlier detection of premature cardiac aging and contributing chronic diseases like diabetes, hypertension, obesity, and atrial fibrillation.
- By recognizing these risk factors, doctors can tailor fitness and exercise, therapies and treatments, and implement healthier diets and weight management strategies.
- Nutrition plays a crucial role in maintaining cardiovascular health, and healthy diets can help limit further heart deterioration and reduce cardiovascular risks.
- Despite its limitations, such as survivor bias, lack of long-term data, and potential bias calculations, this method can help in the prevention and management of chronic diseases and preserving cardiovascular health for seniors.
