Groundbreaking Heart Study Aims to Prevent Attacks Before They Occur
Each year, around 8,000 people under the age of 70 experience their first heart attack, with over 1,000 fatalities resulting from these incidents. To combat this alarming statistic, Göran Bergström, a senior physician at Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg, shares ambitious goals aiming to reduce the number of individuals affected by heart disease by the year 2030.
Göran Bergström, who is not only a senior physician but also a professor at the University of Gothenburg, plays a vital role in SCAPIS - an extensive and groundbreaking study that stands as the largest of its kind in the world. This Swedish initiative unites six universities and university hospitals to investigate heart, blood vessel, and lung conditions among a population of 30,000 residents, ultimately aspiring to predict and prevent potential heart and lung diseases. Bergström emphasizes, "My focus is to try to identify completely healthy people who go around without symptoms but who have a significant risk of having a heart attack themselves without them even knowing it."
The SCAPIS study reveals that among the 30,000 individuals examined, over 40% exhibited changes in their heart or blood vessels that could indicate a risk for heart attacks. While most of these changes were minor, approximately 1 in 20 individuals showed significant changes they were previously unaware of. Bergström highlights the high costs associated with finding such individuals, yet ongoing research aims to develop a simple blood test to identify those at risk. He asserts, "If we find them, we can provide preventive help so that they do not experience a heart attack."
Effective preventive measures largely revolve around lifestyle changes, alongside available medications tailored for high-risk individuals. Bergström sees immense potential in discovering straightforward methods for identifying these at-risk individuals. With the possibility of a simple blood test emerging as a solution, he hopes that SCAPIS can eventually establish a smart, cost-effective screening method that could identify 20-30% of individuals in the risk zone.
However, conducting a study of this magnitude requires substantial funding, with the Heart-Lung Foundation serving as the primary financier. Bergström pointed out the constraints the research currently faces, stating, "We can measure numerous things in the blood of these individuals, but we still cannot afford to measure everything we want to measure. I think soon the ideas for a solution will come, and funding will determine if we can take that step."
The quest for prevention is ongoing, and every contribution can make a difference. To support the SCAPIS initiative and help stop heart attacks before they occur, you can donate 50 SEK to their cause.
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