Innovative Research Aims to Prevent Heart Attacks Among Young Adults
Every year, approximately 8,000 individuals under the age of 70 experience their first heart attack, resulting in over 1,000 fatalities. Dr. Göran Bergström, chief physician at Sahlgrenska University Hospital in Gothenburg, emphasizes the urgency of addressing this issue, aiming to significantly reduce the number of affected individuals by 2030.
Dr. Bergström is not only a clinical leader but also a key figure in the SCAPIS study – the world's largest research initiative focused on heart health, blood vessels, and lung function. This extensive project, involving six universities and hospitals in Sweden, aims to assess 30,000 residents to better predict and prevent heart and lung diseases.
A primary goal of the SCAPIS initiative is to identify asymptomatic individuals who possess a significant risk of experiencing a heart attack without their knowledge. Dr. Bergström states, "I really want to find tools to identify those individuals. That’s why SCAPIS is super interesting."
Through the SCAPIS study, researchers have examined 30,000 individuals for potential changes in their heart and blood vessels that could indicate a heart attack risk. Alarmingly, more than 40% of those examined exhibited some level of vascular changes. While most changes were minor, one in every twenty individuals had significant changes, remaining completely unaware of their condition.
To tackle this issue, researchers are looking at developing a technological method to detect those at risk through a simple blood test. Dr. Bergström notes, "If we find them, we can provide preventive help to prevent a heart attack. It largely involves making lifestyle changes, but there are also fantastic medications. We have many tools for people living with risk, but we first need to find those individuals."
He also highlights a potentially revolutionary approach: finding simple and cost-effective ways to identify high-risk individuals, possibly through routine blood measurements. "What could be revolutionary is if we find simple ways to identify high-risk individuals. Maybe we can measure something in the blood that will become a test not too expensive. If SCAPIS leads to some form of screening method that is smart and cost-effective, I would aim for it to reduce 20 to 30 percent of those at risk," Dr. Bergström elaborates.
Funding is a significant component of this ambitious research. Conducting an extensive study like SCAPIS requires considerable financial resources. The HeartLung Foundation is the primary financier, and Dr. Bergström underlines that every donation counts in this critical research effort.
"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. I think that soon the ideas for a solution will come, and it’s financing that makes it possible to take that step," he concludes.
To support this life-saving research, there is an opportunity to contribute financially. A simple donation of 50 SEK can aid in identifying and preventing heart attacks before they strike.
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