Scientists from the University of Copenhagen have found that asymptomatic atherosclerosis of the heart arteries can lead to a sudden heart attack in middle-aged people. The research was published in the journal Internal Medicine Annuals.
As part of the study, more than 9,500 people aged 40 years and older underwent computed tomography of the heart arteries. Of the people, 54% had no signs of subclinical heart disease, 36% had non-obstructive changes, and 10% had obstructive, ie, occlusion of the arteries. People with obstructive disease are more than eight times more likely to have a heart attack. However, the absolute risk remained quite low.
The scientists noted that the symptoms of occlusion of the arteries may not appear until the lumen of the arteries is narrowed to 30% of the original. This means that a person can walk for years without any clinical signs with a 69% blockage of the three major heart arteries.
The authors recommended that middle-aged people talk to their doctors about the possibility of cardiovascular screening, especially if they have an unhealthy lifestyle and have any risk factors for cardiovascular disease.