Atherosclerotic plaques can develop in the arteries at a young age, before any symptoms appear. An international REACT study involving more than 16,000 people found that signs of atherosclerosis can be present even in people under 30. The findings were published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM).
The researchers examined 16,808 residents of Denmark and Spain aged 18 to 70 who had no history of cardiovascular disease. Using imaging techniques, they assessed the condition of different parts of the arterial system, including the arteries of the heart, neck, and legs.
Signs of atherosclerosis were detected in more than half of the participants in at least one of the areas examined. The findings were particularly notable among the youngest participants: plaques were detected in 8.7% of men and 6.7% of women aged 18 to 29.
The findings show that the process of atherosclerotic plaque formation may begin long before the first symptoms of cardiovascular disease appear. At the same time, the presence of plaques does not in itself mean that a person will necessarily develop heart or vascular disease.
Risk factors for atherosclerosis include smoking, high blood pressure, elevated levels of “bad” cholesterol in the blood, diabetes, and a diet high in fatty, fried, and sugary foods. Men develop atherosclerosis more often and, on average, 10–15 years earlier than women, due to a tendency to accumulate abdominal fat and the influence of testosterone — high levels of this hormone may lower the concentration of “good” cholesterol in the blood.
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