Heart disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide, with heart attacks and strokes making up nearly 85% of cardiovascular fatalities. Despite medical advancements, experts warn that the most powerful tools to prevent these tragedies are still the simplest: lifestyle changes and early detection.
A recent study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology has revealed a staggering truth. More than 99% of people who suffered a heart attack, stroke, or heart failure had at least one major risk factor at unhealthy levels well before their health crisis.
The four silent red flags
Researchers examined long-term health records from over 9 million people in South Korea and nearly 7,000 in the United States. They focused on four key risk factors:
“These are the major risk factors and they are modifiable,” said Philip Greenland, senior author of the study and professor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. “If they are present in almost all cases, then there is an opportunity for prevention.”
Why prevention matters more than ever
The danger lies in the fact that high blood pressure is often symptomless and overlooked until it causes serious damage. Even younger women, typically seen as lower risk, were found to have at least one unhealthy factor before experiencing cardiovascular episodes.
Dr. Cheng-Han Chen, cardiologist and medical director at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center, who was not involved in the research, told Medical News Today: “This study reaffirms our need to aggressively screen for and manage the risk factors for heart disease in order to decrease the burden of this major problem in our society.”
What this means for you
The findings challenge the perception that genetics or sudden, unpreventable events are the main drivers of heart disease. Instead, they point directly to manageable lifestyle issues. Quitting smoking, maintaining a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and monitoring blood pressure and glucose could drastically cut risks.
In other words, most heart attacks and strokes are not random. They are preventable — and the warning signs often appear years in advance.
A recent study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology has revealed a staggering truth. More than 99% of people who suffered a heart attack, stroke, or heart failure had at least one major risk factor at unhealthy levels well before their health crisis.
The four silent red flags
Researchers examined long-term health records from over 9 million people in South Korea and nearly 7,000 in the United States. They focused on four key risk factors:
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- High fasting glucose (or diabetes)
- Tobacco use
“These are the major risk factors and they are modifiable,” said Philip Greenland, senior author of the study and professor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. “If they are present in almost all cases, then there is an opportunity for prevention.”
Why prevention matters more than ever
The danger lies in the fact that high blood pressure is often symptomless and overlooked until it causes serious damage. Even younger women, typically seen as lower risk, were found to have at least one unhealthy factor before experiencing cardiovascular episodes.
Dr. Cheng-Han Chen, cardiologist and medical director at MemorialCare Saddleback Medical Center, who was not involved in the research, told Medical News Today: “This study reaffirms our need to aggressively screen for and manage the risk factors for heart disease in order to decrease the burden of this major problem in our society.”
What this means for you
The findings challenge the perception that genetics or sudden, unpreventable events are the main drivers of heart disease. Instead, they point directly to manageable lifestyle issues. Quitting smoking, maintaining a healthy diet, exercising regularly, and monitoring blood pressure and glucose could drastically cut risks.
In other words, most heart attacks and strokes are not random. They are preventable — and the warning signs often appear years in advance.
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