A recent study presented at the American Heart Association’s Epidemiology and Prevention│Lifestyle and Cardiometabolic Scientific Sessions 2024 in Chicago found that young adults with good heart health scores have a reduced risk of heart and kidney disease by 65%. The research, which has not been published in a peer-reviewed journal yet, highlights the importance of maintaining a heart-healthy lifestyle to lower the risk of developing heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease. Only 1% of the study subjects had “ideal” heart health, emphasizing the need for more awareness and efforts to promote heart-healthy behaviors early in life.
The study, conducted by South Korean researchers over a 12-year period on about 4 million adults under age 40, showed that those with “ideal” cardiovascular health were significantly less likely to develop heart or kidney disease or have a stroke compared to those with low heart health scores. Individuals who improved their cardiovascular health scores during the study were also able to lower their risk of disease. The researchers stress the importance of lifelong and durable heart health maintenance, as the risk of developing cardiovascular or kidney disease decreased gradually as heart health scores improved.
Dr. Arun Manmadhan, an assistant professor of cardiology at Columbia University, emphasizes the strong links between heart and kidney health, noting that most risk factors for cardiovascular disease also correlate with kidney disease. He suggests a holistic approach to treating heart and kidney disease together, as the organs have a significant interplay. Columbia University Irving Medical Center even maintains a special practice on cardionephrology to provide comprehensive treatment for both heart and kidney diseases.
Dr. Majid Basit, a cardiologist with the Memorial Hermann Medical Group in Houston, adds that high blood pressure, a well-known cause of cardiovascular disease, is also a leading cause of kidney disease. Screening younger individuals for signs of hypertension and more organ-specific markers like elevated creatine levels could help identify individuals at risk for both cardiovascular and kidney disease. Basit advocates for more aggressive messaging and testing for kidney disease, similar to what is done for heart disease, to address the risks associated with poor heart and kidney health.
Overall, the study underscores the importance of achieving ideal cardiovascular health during young adulthood and maintaining or improving it throughout life to lower the risk of heart and kidney disease. Dr. Hokyou Lee, a lead study author and an associate professor of preventive medicine at Yonsei University College of Medicine in Seoul, emphasizes that young adults should be more aware of implementing and maintaining heart-healthy lifestyle behaviors early on to live longer, healthier lives. The findings suggest that prevention efforts targeting heart and kidney health together could have significant benefits for overall health and well-being.
