BETHESDA, Md., April 17 (UPI) -- It's never too early to lower heart risk factors, according to researchers at the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute in Bethesda, Md.
Higher heart risk factors at ages 18 to 30 can mean an increased risk of later developing coronary calcium, a predictor of heart disease, according to the study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
Although on average, heart disease risk factors are less common in young adulthood, elevated risk factors levels in the 20s predict the development of later asymptomatic heart disease better than levels measured later when they are typically higher.
Other studies have found that the amount of coronary calcium correlates with the amount of atherosclerosis or hardening of the coronary arteries.
"These findings remind us that we should begin assessing our heart disease risk as early as possible, with a focus on prevention," said Dr. Elizabeth G. Nabel, director of the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. "Young adults who achieve and maintain optimal risk factor levels early on could enter middle age with healthy hearts."
