A new study published in the journal Jama Network Open on May 3, 2022, highlighted risk factors most likely to trigger a heart attack in men and women under 55. Conclusion, Yale University researchers revealed that the causes were different according to sexbut also more prevalent among young women.
According to scientists, seven risk factors were associated with an increased risk ofmyocardial infarction among women, while men had only two.
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Myocardial infarction: people under 55 increasingly affected
To reach these conclusions, the scientists used data from 2,264 patients with myocardial infarction. A second group of people who did not have a heart attack was also followed by the scientists for comparison purposes. “Here, we used a new study design with a large cohort of patients with heart attack,” says Yuan Lu, assistant professor at Yale School of Medicine and lead author of the study. “It is one of the first and most important studies to address this problem comprehensively,” she continues.
In effect, heart attacks are usually associated with older adults. However, “if you analyze the proportion of patients by age, you will find that the proportion of young people hospitalized for a heart attack is increasing”, points out the professor. On the other hand, heart attack rates have also increased in recent years in young women according to the researchers. “This research demonstrates the importance of specifically studying young women with heart attacks,” said Dr. Harlan Krumholz, professor of medicine and author of the article. “This is a group that has been largely overlooked in many studies and yet is almost as large as the number of young women diagnosed with a cancer be you.”
Cardiovascular diseases: adapted and individualized care
For researchers, this study is a reminder of the importance of make doctors and young patients aware of the problem. “So there seems to be a general tendency that myocardial infarction occurs earlier in lifewhich makes prevention of heart attacks among young people, particularly important.” Moreover, gender-specific prevention is also needed. “We are moving more towards a precision medicine approach, where we are not treating every patient the same,” Yuan Lu believes. “For example, a risk prediction tool for individual patients could help doctors identify those most at risk and to develop treatment strategies.”