According to the WHO, heart failure is the leading cause of death worldwide. Until now, older people were most affected by the disease. But now young people are also at risk of heart failure. And this is something completely new, not to mention worrying! A recent study shows that heart failure is on the rise in the 18-50 age group. The ultrasound probe repair laboratory examines these results.
A study that’s a wake-up call!
The study in question was carried out in France by AP-HP, Inserm and Université Paris Cité to identify the typical profile of a person with heart failure. It identified 1.49 million patients with the condition between 2013 and 2018. People aged 60 and over are generally affected. However, heart failure seems to be on the rise among younger people. In fact, 4.7% of 18- to 50-year-olds are affected by heart failure, or 70,000 people in France. What’s more, the incidence among young adults has increased significantly. This is in contrast to the overall incidence, which has fallen in the total population. The biggest increase has been seen in young men aged between 36 and 50. The most common cause in these patients is ischaemic heart disease.
Why is there an increase in the incidence of heart failure in young people?
According to the French Federation of Cardiology, the risk factors are:
- Smoking.
- A sedentary lifestyle.
- High cholesterol levels.
- Diabetes
- High blood pressure.
- Stress.
Young people are increasingly affected by these factors. Young people and children are also more likely to be affected by heart disease. In 40 years, French children aged 9 to 16 have lost a quarter of their physical capacity. They are too sedentary, having stopped exercising. What’s more, “air pollution is associated with poor respiratory health in children; it has effects on the lungs and the brain and increases the risk of cardiovascular disease” according to WHO.
What does heart insufficiency mean?
When the heart loses its ability to pump enough blood, it is called heart failure. To confirm this, a cardiac assessment is needed. This may include a number of tests such as a chest X-ray, electrocardiogram, cardiac Doppler ultrasound, MRI or CT scan. According to the WHO: “Heart disease has remained the leading cause of death worldwide for the past 20 years… There has been an increase of more than 2 million deaths from heart disease since 2000 to nearly 9 million deaths in 2019″.
Take the test for yourself!
Our ultrasound probe repair laboratory recommends that you test yourself before carrying out any of the above tests. How do we do that? By completion of a questionnaire. This questionnaire, developed by the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, allows us to assess your cardiovascular risks. You will then receive a recommendation tailored to your needs.
Two actions
1 – Increase prevention
According to the authors of the study, “strategies to prevent risk factors for heart failure should be strongly considered in patients under 50”.
2 – Look after your ultrasound probes
To improve prevention, you need equipment that works! To check that everything is working properly, we offer audits of your ultrasound probe fleet.
We also encourage you to take good care of your equipment, especially when moving your TEE probes from one room to another.
