Atherosclerosis progression associated with increased risk of death in asymptomatic individuals
· News-MedicalThe progression of atherosclerosis in people who have no symptoms of it is independently associated with the risk of dying from any cause, according to a new study led by researchers from Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital, published September 30 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
This research is also the first to show that advanced imaging can detect atherosclerotic disease of the large vessels long before the appearance of symptoms-;an approach that could be used worldwide to prevent cardiovascular disease and risk of death. Together, the findings emphasize the importance of early detection of atherosclerosis.
Valentin Fuster, MD, PhD, lead author, President of Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital and General Director of the Centro Nacional de Investigaciones Cardiovasculares Carlos III (CNIC)The long asymptomatic phase of the disease presents a window of opportunity that has not been exploited in the younger population."
The goal of the new study, called the BioImage project-;a collaboration between Mount Sinai and the CNIC-;was to determine the independent predictive value of the burden and progression of subclinical atherosclerosis above and beyond what can be predicted using established cardiovascular risk factors.
The study included 5,716 asymptomatic U.S. adults with an average age of 69 years (56.7% women) who were examined from 2008 to 2009. The study participants were examined with two imaging techniques. Atherosclerotic plaques in the carotid arteries were measured with vascular ultrasound, which allows detailed visualization of the interior of blood vessels, and calcification of the coronary arteries was assessed by computed tomography.
A subset of 732 study participants underwent a second vascular ultrasound scan more than eight years after the initial examination. All participants were followed up to determine the rate of death from any cause, the main outcome measure of the study.
"Vascular ultrasound is a non-invasive and affordable test, and the valuable prognostic information it provides can be used to improve risk stratification and to target lifestyle recommendations for the control of cardiovascular risk factors," explains Borja Ibáñez, PhD, Scientific Director of the CNIC.
The study concluded that detecting subclinical atherosclerosis early and monitoring its progression can improve the prediction and prevention of death from any cause, offering a valuable tool for clinical practice.
Source:
Journal reference: