New research published in the journal Atherosclerosis has shown that arterial stiffness may cause and worsen heart damage in young people.
The longitudinal study included over 1,800 adolescents with a mean age of 17.7 years who were followed for 7 years. Participants’ arterial stiffness, carotid intima-media thickness, and signs of heart damage were assessed at the beginning and end of the study.
After controlling for other factors, the results of the study showed that the adolescents with the highest levels of arterial stiffness and carotid intima-media thickness had a 23-27% increased risk of structural heart damage. However, only arterial stiffness seemed to independently cause heart damage. The results further showed that arterial stiffness caused damage to the heart mainly through increased blood pressure and insulin resistance, which accounted for 34% and 15% of the damage, respectively.
Arterial stiffness tends to increase with age, but frequent exercise and a healthy diet can prevent and improve it. The authors of the study noted that this is the first time that arterial stiffness has been shown to contribute to hypertension, metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance, and heart damage in a younger population. Arterial stiffness has already been linked to several diseases in adults, including recently being established as a cause of type 2 diabetes. The authors further noted that decreasing blood pressure and insulin resistance may lessen the heart damage caused by arterial stiffness.
As heart damage and cardiovascular disease become more common in younger people, maintaining and improving heart health have emerged as essential factors for living a long and healthy life. Recommendations from the American Heart Association include eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, and managing risk factors such as weight, blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar.
Sources: Atherosclerosis, Science Daily
