US scientists say it is too late to start looking after one's health in their 50s or 60s, and are looking for studies to look at the long term effectiveness and safety of statins in younger adults.
Duke Clinical Research Institute in North Carolina said every decade of high cholesterol increases the risk of heart disease by nearly 40 per cent. It warns that the effects of a build up of cholesterol over many years compare to the long term impact of smoking.
Lead author Dr Ann Marie Navar-Boggan, said “what we're doing to our blood vessels in our 20s, 30s and 40s is laying the foundation for disease that will present itself later in our lives. If we wait until our 50s or 60s to think about cardiovascular disease prevention, the cat's already out of the bag.”
Dr Navar-Boggan said the surprising part was that “even if you control everything else in your life, you didn't smoke, your blood pressure and weight are normal, and you don't have diabetes, elevated cholesterol over many years can still cause problems in the long run.”
Statins don't cost much and are mainly taken by the patients over 65 with heart disease, or those highly likely to develop it within 10 years. Increasing evidence suggests long term use is safe and ever more experts say the benefits far outweigh any risks from side effects.
Dr Navar-Boggan said, “It’s never too soon for young adults to talk with their doctors about a comprehensive strategy for heart health, first and foremost focusing on diet and exercise. Our study suggests, though, that young adults who cannot control cholesterol with diet and exercise alone may benefit from medication earlier in life. The plaques in arteries that break off and cause heart attacks later in life take years to develop.”
Doireann Maddock, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said, “It’s never too early to start thinking about your heart health. By eating a healthy diet and keeping physically active you can help improve your cholesterol level. If you’re over 40, you are entitled to a health check from your GP or practice nurse which includes a cholesterol check.”
