One in Thirteen Young Adults Show Early Signs of Artery Plaque, Study Finds
A large international study discovered that about 1 in 13 adults aged 18-29 have detectable artery plaque despite appearing healthy.
In the first phase of the REACT initiative, more than 16,000 adults without known cardiovascular disease were scanned in Denmark and Spain, revealing plaque in 57.1% of participants. Notably, about one in thirteen people aged 18 to 29 already had detectable atherosclerosis. Researchers propose shifting from traditional risk-factor models to direct imaging, using tools like portable ultrasound for early detection.
The study also highlighted sex differences, with men showing earlier plaque buildup than women, whose rates rose sharply during midlife. Funded with up to EUR 23 million by the Novo Nordisk Foundation, REACT aims to test whether imaging-guided prevention can lower heart attacks and strokes in future phases.
