New Tool Helps Predict Biological Age and Heart Health
A recent study has revealed that the hearts of most adults are aging faster than the rest of their bodies, raising concerns about overall health. However, a groundbreaking development by US researchers offers hope. They have created a free online test that claims to predict biological age and potentially reverse the effects of aging on the heart.
Traditional health indicators such as blood pressure, cholesterol levels, chronic illness, and lifestyle factors like smoking have long been used to assess healthy aging. However, heart disease risk was typically presented as a percentage, which left many patients uncertain about their actual likelihood of developing serious heart conditions. For example, a doctor might say, “Eight out of ten people with your profile may suffer a heart event in the next 10 years.” This approach can be difficult for individuals to fully grasp.
The new tool, developed using data from the American Heart Association, changes this by reframing risk as an age. This makes it easier for individuals to understand the stress their hearts are under. The calculator requires users to input information such as sex, age, total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, systolic blood pressure, whether they have diabetes, and if they take medication for blood pressure or statins. It also asks for eGFR (estimated glomerular filtration rate), which measures kidney function.
In a study involving over 14,000 US adults aged 30 to 79 between 2011 and 2020, researchers tested the age calculator. Using this data, the tool generates a ‘heart age’—which could be older or younger than the user’s actual age. Dr. Sadiya Khan, a cardiology professor at Northwestern University and lead author of the study, noted that many people who should be on medication to lower their risk of heart attack, stroke, or heart failure are not. She hopes this new tool will support discussions about prevention and ultimately improve public health.
None of the participants had a history of cardiovascular disease. On average, women had a biological heart age four years older than their actual age. For men, the results were more severe. Despite an average chronological age of just under 50, the test suggested their hearts resembled those of 56-year-olds. Among men without a college or sixth form education, the situation was even worse, with nearly a third having a heart age more than ten years older than their actual age.
This significant discrepancy between biological and chronological age was most common among Black and Hispanic adults. In their paper published in JAMA Cardiology, the researchers concluded that there are effective strategies available to slow down the aging process if identified early. Dr. Khan emphasized the importance of this for younger people, who often don’t consider their risk for heart disease.
The researchers now plan to investigate whether presenting risk in terms of age improves patient outcomes and helps people better understand the need for preventive treatment.
Alarming data from last year showed that premature deaths from cardiovascular issues, including heart attacks and strokes, reached their highest level in over a decade. MailOnline previously reported that the number of young people under 40 in England being treated for heart attacks by the NHS is increasing. While cases of heart attacks, heart failure, and strokes among those under 75 have declined since the 1960s due to reduced smoking rates, advanced surgical techniques, and breakthroughs like stents and statins, other factors now contribute to the problem.
Slow ambulance response times for category 2 calls in England, which include suspected heart attacks and strokes, as well as long waits for tests and treatment, have also been blamed for the rising numbers.