A new discovery from researchers at University College London has shown that a simple neck scan could help identify older men who are at much higher risk of developing heart failure in the future.
This scan, called a carotid ultrasound, is very similar to the type of ultrasound used during pregnancy. It is quick, painless, and does not involve any needles or radiation.
A small device is gently moved across the neck to look at two important blood vessels called the carotid arteries, which carry blood from the heart to the brain.
Our arteries are supposed to stretch and relax slightly with every heartbeat. This flexibility helps blood move smoothly through the body. But as people age, or if they develop certain health problems, the arteries can become stiff.
When they stop stretching properly, it puts extra pressure on the heart, forcing it to work harder. Over many years, this strain can weaken the heart and eventually lead to heart failure.
In this study, about 1,600 men between the ages of 71 and 92 received carotid ultrasound scans. The researchers measured how flexible each man’s carotid arteries were. After that, they followed these men for several years to see who developed heart failure. The results were very striking.
The group of men whose arteries were the least flexible were about two and a half times more likely to develop heart failure than the group of men whose arteries were the most flexible. This shows that stiffness in the arteries may be an early warning sign of future heart problems.
Right now, general doctors do not usually offer this type of scan to healthy people who do not have symptoms. It is mostly used for people who have already had a stroke or a mini-stroke.
In those cases, the scan looks for a build-up of fatty material in the carotid arteries that could block blood flow to the brain. However, this new research suggests that the scan could also be useful for spotting early signs of heart disease, long before serious problems appear.
Dr. Atinuke Akinmolayan, who led the study and is now a working GP, explained that the scan is safe, cheap, and easy to do. She believes it could become a helpful tool for people over the age of 60, especially if they already have risk factors like high blood pressure or a history of heart problems.
If a scan shows that a person’s arteries are stiff, this can be an important sign that they need to take action to protect their heart. This might mean improving their diet, exercising more, quitting smoking, or starting medication to reduce risk.
The information from this study came from a long-running project called the British Regional Heart Study, which started in the 1970s.
Because of this, the data is very reliable and detailed. However, all of the participants in this particular study were men. The researchers made it clear that more research is now needed to see if the same results are true for women.
The scientists also looked at another feature of the carotid arteries: their thickness. They found that men with thicker artery walls were more likely to have a heart attack or die from one. For every small increase in thickness, the risk of heart attack went up by almost 30 percent.
However, artery thickness did not appear to be strongly linked to future heart failure. This shows that flexibility and thickness of the arteries can tell us different things about heart health.
Heart failure is a serious condition that affects around 200,000 new people every year in the UK alone. It happens when the heart is no longer able to pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs. People with heart failure often feel extremely tired, short of breath, and may experience swelling in their legs and ankles. In severe cases, it can be life-threatening.
Professor Bryan Williams from the British Heart Foundation commented that stiff arteries likely increase the risk of heart failure because they create more resistance for the heart to push against.
This forces the heart to work harder over time until it becomes weak. He believes that whenever stiff arteries are detected, doctors should consider the possible impact on the heart and take steps to prevent future problems.
In reviewing and analysing this study, the findings are very important and practical. They show that a simple, low-cost scan could be used as an early warning system for heart failure in older men. This could help doctors step in early with lifestyle advice and treatment before serious damage is done.
However, the study is limited because it only included men and relied on long-term observation rather than a new clinical trial. Future research will need to include women and test whether using this scan in everyday medical practice really leads to better outcomes.
Even so, the results strongly suggest that artery stiffness is an important signal that should not be ignored, and it could play a key role in preventing heart failure in the future.
If you care about heart health, please read studies about top foods to love for a stronger heart, and why oranges may help fight obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
For more health information, please see recent studies about simple guide to a 7-day diabetes meal plan, and why you should add black beans to your plate.
The study is published in Journal of the American Heart Association.
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