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A new study led by Indian-origin researchers in the UK has found that unhealthy lifestyles may be accelerating the ageing of the heart potentially by decades even before symptoms of heart disease appear. The research, conducted by a team at the University of East Anglia (UEA), used a breakthrough cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging technique to measure the heart’s “functional age.”
The findings, recently accepted for publication in the European Heart Journal Open, show that while healthy individuals tend to have a heart age that closely matches their chronological age, people with conditions like diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and atrial fibrillation often have hearts that function like those of much older individuals.
“For example, a 50-year-old with high blood pressure might have a heart that functions like it’s 55,” said lead researcher Dr. Pankaj Garg, a cardiologist at Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital and academic at UEA’s Norwich Medical School. “People with diabetes or obesity often have hearts that are ageing faster than they should sometimes by decades.”
The study analysed MRI scans from 557 participants across hospitals in the UK, Spain, and Singapore 191 of whom were healthy, while 366 had chronic health conditions. By measuring the size and strength of the heart’s chambers, researchers developed a formula to calculate the heart’s true functional age and cross-verified it against healthy hearts.
According to Dr. Garg, this cutting-edge MRI technique could revolutionise early diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases. “It’s a game changer for keeping hearts healthier, longer,” he said. “It also offers a wake-up call for individuals to adopt healthier habits, such as eating better, exercising regularly, and following medical advice.”
Heart disease remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide. This new method offers doctors a powerful tool to detect early signs of heart trouble before symptoms manifest, potentially saving millions of lives through timely intervention.
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