Can Healthy People Have Heart Disease?

Individuals that are slim, don't smoke, and do not have diabetes typically don't have to fret too much for their heart care. And those with good control of their blood pressure, cholesterol, and sugar levels, less so.

Researchers from Chennai, set out to determine why people without a cardiovascular risk factors nevertheless have heart attacks and strokes.  They conducted ECGs and CT scans of over 1700 individuals in the age bracket of 40 to 54 without traditional risk factors, such as hypertension and cholesterol levels. Additionally, they took a separate look at a subgroup of individuals with risk factors at amounts considered best for good heart health--blood pressure less than 120/80 mmHg, total cholesterol less than 200 mg/dL, and fasting glucose less than 100 mg/dL.

The results were so mind boggling. Nearly half of those seemingly healthy individuals, people used to getting high-fives at their yearly checkup, had atherosclerotic plaques, which can reduce or block blood flow into the heart.  And, even among the subgroup with increased threat factors, 38 percent had evidence of atherosclerosis. In other words, heart disease was present. This concealed, undiagnosed, subclinical disease puts them at extremely large risk for a heart attack.

Atherosclerosis can develop over a period of decades without any telltale signs. Although the possibility of heart attack is reduced among people without conventional risk factors, any build-up of plaque in the arteries can result in a cardiovascular ailment.

The research implicated LDL cholesterol as a major culprit for early atherosclerosis. LDL has been related to the presence of arterial plaque and the extent of disease both in people with no cardiovascular risk factors and those with optimal risk factors, even when LDL levels fell within the normal range.

Evidence suggests a diet higher in saturated fat (typically found in red meat and dairy food) and polyunsaturated fats (usually found in fried foods and many packaged snacks and sweets) can increase LDL cholesterol. Acohol intake and less physical activity also increase bad cholesterol levels. In addition, people who smoke as well we who carry those extra pounds should also be worried. Cardiologist in Chennai suggest regular blood tests and ECG after age of 35 years, whether or not you have cardiovascular ailments, diabetes or family history. This will help keep a track of LDL cholesterol levels and avoid any major heart disease.