Author Interviews, Brigham & Women's - Harvard, Heart Disease, JAMA, Pediatrics / 19.07.2017
Lifestyle-Based Tool Estimates Premature Cardiovascular Events in Young Adults
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Holly Gooding, MD, MSc
Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics
Harvard Medical School
Division of Adolescent/Young Adult Medicine
Boston Children's Hospital
Division of General Internal Medicine
Brigham and Women's Hospital
Boston, MA
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?
Response: Dr Stephanie Chiuve and colleagues at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health developed the Healthy Heart Score to predict the risk of heart disease in older adults based on lifestyle factors measured in middle age. We have known for some time that the precursor to heart disease – known as atherosclerosis – actually starts in childhood and adolescence. We calculated the Healthy Heart Score for young adults ages 18-30 years old and found it works in this age group as well.
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