Is your heart older than your age?
A recent study published in JAMA Cardiology introduced a valuable new tool for cardiovascular health: a heart age calculator.
Based on a set of criteria from the American Heart Association, the Predicting Risk of Cardiovascular Disease Events (PREVENT) tool uses information about an individual’s health, such as their cholesterol levels, blood pressure, body mass index (BMI), medications, smoking habits and diabetes status to come up with their estimated risk for cardiovascular disease and heart failure.
“Cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in the U.S.,” says Dr. Robert Johnson, a cardiologist at Advocate Health Care. “This new prevention tool will greatly help us identify a patient’s risk factors and give us a clearer picture of how we can reduce cardiovascular risk for each person.”
The study used the heart age tool against a test sample of more than 14,000 people aged 30 to 79 to calculate their hearts’ ages and compare them to their chronological ages. They found men on average had a seven-year difference between their heart’s age and their actual age, and women had an average gap of four years.
“We’re really only going to get concerned if the gap is five years or more,” says Dr. Johnson. “And even if that gap exists for you, there are actions we can take to get that number in control.”
How can you improve your heart’s age?
While there are certain risk factors you can’t control like age, family history and existing cardiovascular issues, there are actions you can take to lessen your risk of heart disease and reduce the age of your heart:
- Focus on eating a healthy, low-sodium diet
- Get regular exercise
- Eliminate tobacco use
- Get 7 to 9 hours of sleep every night
- Maintain a healthy weight
- Manage your cholesterol and blood sugar levels
- Keep a healthy blood pressure
“The simplest action you can take to better your heart’s age is to focus on improving your overall health,” says Dr. Johnson. “There’s a lot of things we can’t control, but general health is an easy, accessible change we can all make.”
The state of your cardiovascular health should be an ongoing discussion between you and your health care provider. It’s crucial to keep up with annual physicals and document any changes in your body that might indicate a problem to prevent or control chronic conditions.
Want to learn more about your risk for heart disease? Take a free online quiz.
