Innovative Heart Health Study Aims to Prevent Heart Attacks
Every year, approximately 8,000 individuals under the age of 70 experience a first-time heart attack, with over 1,000 of these cases resulting in death. The urgency of this public health issue has led to ambitious goals from medical professionals like Göran Bergström, a senior physician at Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg. Bergström highlights the paramount aim of reducing this staggering number by 2030 through early intervention and preventive measures.
At the forefront of this initiative is SCAPIS, the world's largest heart study. This groundbreaking Swedish research project involves collaboration among six universities and university hospitals, culminating in an extensive investigation of 30,000 residents. The study focuses on understanding heart, blood vessel, and lung health, with the objective of ultimately predicting and preventing cardiovascular and pulmonary diseases.
Bergström emphasizes the importance of identifying seemingly healthy individuals who may be at an imminent risk of heart attacks without displaying any symptoms. "My focus is to try to identify completely healthy people who go around without symptoms but who have an imminent risk of having a heart attack themselves, without them knowing it," he explains. He foresees the potential of SCAPIS in revolutionizing heart health by developing tools to detect these at-risk individuals.
Preliminary results are promising. In the analyzed group of 30,000 participants, more than 40% exhibited changes in their heart's blood vessels, signaling a heightened risk for heart attacks. While many of these changes were minor, alarming findings showed that 1 in 20 individuals had larger, more concerning changes. Unfortunately, many remain unaware of their condition. Currently, the research team is investigating technology that could simplify risk identification through a basic blood test.
"If we find these individuals, we can provide preventive help to ensure they do not suffer a heart attack," Bergström notes. This preventive care typically involves lifestyle adjustments alongside access to effective medication options. However, the first step remains identifying at-risk individuals, which is where SCAPIS plays a crucial role.
The potential for developing simple and cost-effective screening methods is on the horizon. Bergström believes that using blood markers for risk assessment may transform heart health management. If SCAPIS can develop a smart, affordable screening method, he estimates that it could significantly lower the number of individuals within the risk zone by 20 to 30%.
However, executing an extensive study like SCAPIS requires substantial financial resources. The Heart-Lung Foundation serves as the primary funder, stressing the critical role of continuous financial support in advancing research. As Bergström states, "We can measure a lot of things in the blood of these individuals, but we still cannot afford to measure everything we want to measure."
As the SCAPIS team pushes forward, the hope is that they will soon find solutions that will enable them to expand their investigations. Each contribution counts in the fight against heart disease, and medical professionals believe that progress in this area could save countless lives. In this context, even small donations can make a significant impact, potentially helping to prevent heart attacks before they occur.
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