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Heart Risk Hits Men Earlier: Study Reveals Shocking Age Shift
28 Jan
Summary
- Men's heart attack risk can begin increasing in their mid-thirties.
- Coronary heart disease develops in men about seven years sooner than in women.
- Experts suggest earlier heart disease screening and prevention for young adults.
New research indicates that men may begin experiencing an increased risk of heart attack in their mid-thirties, a notable seven years earlier than women. While heart disease is known to affect men sooner, this gap in coronary heart disease onset has persisted despite similar levels of risk factors like high blood pressure and diabetes between sexes.
The thirty-year study, involving over 5,100 healthy adults, found that differences in coronary heart disease began emerging around age 35 for men. By age 50, men reached a 5% incidence of cardiovascular disease, compared to women at age 57. This disparity was primarily driven by coronary heart disease, with men reaching a 2% incidence over a decade earlier than women.
Scientists suggest that current heart disease prevention efforts, often focused on adults over 40, may miss a critical window. The findings underscore the importance of earlier screening and preventive care visits for young men to identify risk factors and reduce long-term cardiovascular disease risk, as other biological or social factors might be contributing to this early onset.
