Hidden atherosclerosis, a buildup of plaque in the arteries, can begin decades before any symptoms of heart disease appear, according to a new study by researchers in Denmark and Spain. The scientists found signs of the condition even in people between the ages of 18 and 29.
The findings were published in The New England Journal of Medicine.
The study involved 16,808 people aged 18 to 70 who had not been diagnosed with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. Researchers assessed the condition of blood vessels using three-dimensional ultrasound scans of the carotid and femoral arteries, while the coronary arteries were examined using computed tomography.
Plaques found even in young adults
Overall, signs of hidden atherosclerosis were found in 57.1 percent of participants. The disease was present even in the youngest age group: plaques were detected in 8.7 percent of men and 6.7 percent of women aged 18 to 29.
The prevalence of atherosclerosis increased significantly with age, and the volume of plaque grew especially fast as people got older. In young people, the damage typically affected only one part of the vascular system, whereas with age, changes were increasingly found across several groups of arteries at once.
Isolated atherosclerosis limited to the coronary arteries was comparatively rare, the researchers found. They said the results show that changes in blood vessels can begin decades before the clinical signs of cardiovascular disease appear.
Why the disease matters
Atherosclerosis is the narrowing and hardening of arteries caused by the buildup of fatty plaques on artery walls. It is a leading underlying cause of heart attacks and strokes worldwide, because plaques can restrict blood flow or rupture and trigger a clot. Because it often develops silently for years, doctors have long sought ways to detect it before it causes a cardiovascular event.
The New England Journal of Medicine, where the study appeared, is one of the most widely cited medical journals in the world.
Researchers had previously found that molecular markers of risk for heart and kidney disease can appear even in children.
