Written by: Alyssa Sevilla
Clinically reviewed by: Robert Philibert
Cardiovascular disease is the number one killer of both men and women, but it doesn’t have to be. With advances in early detection, preventing heart disease death has become a clear reality. This blog post will explore the science behind heart disease and longevity, diving into the rate at which heart disease affects lifespan, why heart disease is mostly preventable, and how detecting heart disease early is one’s best bet for a longer life. We’ll also examine how cardiovascular disease affects different groups’ longevity and how prevention can save lives.
Age-standardized death rates (per 100,000 person-years) from drug-related causes and CVD. Gray shaded lines are trends for individual US states and Washington, DC. US data are from the CDC Wonder Database. Longevity leaders is the average of countries that had the highest life expectancy at birth in year 2010 (Japan, Switzerland, Singapore, Australia, Spain, Iceland, Italy, Israel, Sweden, and France). Non-US data are from WHO Cause of Death Database. Sexes are combined. CVD deaths include deaths from heart attacks and strokes (ICD 10: I00 to I78). Drug-related causes include ICD 10: X40 to X44, X60 to X64, X85, and Y10 to Y14.¹
When it comes to heart disease, prevention is vital. While some people are more genetically predisposed to heart disease, lifestyle factors can be modified to reduce the risk of developing heart disease in everyone. These include quitting smoking, exercising regularly, eating a healthy diet, and maintaining a healthy weight. These practices can help keep the heart solid and beneficial over time.
Unfortunately, even with good preventive measures in place, it’s still possible for individuals to develop heart disease. This is why early detection is essential – catching any signs of cardiac problems early on; people can better manage their health and ensure they receive proper treatment before it’s too late.
Healthcare leaders can promote healthy living through the use of Precision Epigenetic methods to identify preventable causes of cardiac death. By identifying patients at an increased risk for heart disease, healthcare providers can begin taking steps to reduce their patient’s chances of dying. Excitingly, using newly developed predictive analytics technologies and machine learning algorithms, providers can create personalized treatment plans tailored to each individual’s needs based on their medical history and current health status.
Thanks to advances in medical treatments, people with heart disease are living longer. Nevertheless, there is a strong need to act now to prevent mortality due to cardiovascular issues in those at greater risk, such as women over the age of 55 or individuals with pre-existing conditions like diabetes or high blood pressure.
As a result, healthcare leaders should continue pushing initiatives that encourage early detection and management by using Precision Epigenetic tests that detect specific biomarkers associated with coronary artery diseases or other cardiovascular events like stroke or arrhythmia. By using these Personalized Medicine approaches to pinpoint key biological pathways for medication therapy or identify lifestyle changes such as quitting smoking or adopting a healthier diet that can prevent future health complications, clinicians can offer their patients a coherent long-term strategy to reduce mortality for all their patients.
While there may be no guaranteed solution to preventing every cardiac illness, increasing awareness about detection screenings and encouraging better lifestyle habits goes a long way toward boosting longevity rates overall and potentially saving lives in the long run. By ensuring that everyone has access to the quality care, they need when they need it most – whether it’s through preventive screenings or timely interventions – we can help maximize life expectancy among all individuals regardless of age or pre-existing conditions.
Achieve longevity today!
References:
- N. K. Mehta, L. R. Abrams, M. Myrskyla, Additional information for the analysis of CVD and drug related mortality in the U.S. https://osf.io/u6dzp/?view_only=bc78d18059b042cf8ca4c4ff8f4dfd95. Accessed 18 November 2019.