A new study on over 5,000 US adults aged 18 to 30 years has found that men develop coronary heart disease (CHD) 10 years before women. “Men developed CVD earlier than women, with the greatest difference observed for CHD. Sex differences in CVD risk emerged at age 35, persisted through midlife, and were not attenuated by accounting for cardiovascular health,” the found. The findings of the CARDIA (Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults) study has been published in the Journal of American Heart Association. Heart disease cases are climbing because daily life has quietly changed, and not in our favour. But despite the numbers, heart disease doesn’t feel urgent to most people. That’s partly because it’s slow and silent. There’s no sudden pain at first, no clear warning sign that makes you rush to a doctor. Many still think heart disease is an “old person’s problem”. And then there’s gender. Men are more likely to be diagnosed early, while women are more likely to be dismissed. Women’s symptoms often look different, fatigue, nausea, breathlessness, but they’re brushed off as stress or anxiety. So yes, heart disease affects everyone, but not everyone is heard the same way. “Cardiovascular disease risk differences emerging in the fourth decade of life supports initiating cardiovascular risk assessment and risk reduction strategies in young adulthood,” the researchers have said.

Close to 20 million people die due to cardiovascular disease

Deaths due to heart diseases account for 32% of global deaths, the World Health Organisation (WHO) says. In 2022, 19.8 million died from heart diseases, it says.

“Cardiovascular disease is often dismissed as a concern for later life, but data prove the risk trajectory is established decades earlier, particularly for men. New findings from the long-term CARDIA study, published in the Journal of the American Heart Association (JAHA), show that men reach critical heart disease milestones significantly faster than women. Usually, coronary heart disease affects men about ten years earlier, and the important point is that this difference remained significant even after adjusting for the traditional risk factors such as blood pressure, smoking, and cholesterol. This indicates the significance of biological differences and early exposure,” says Dr. Harshit Gupta- Senior consultant interventional cardiologist – Regency Hospital, Lucknow. “The research identifies a “critical window” for intervention. While risk patterns are similar through the 20s, for men, the risk begins to accelerate sharply around age 35. Though women may experience the risk of onset at a later age, possibly due to hormonal protection, it is highlighted that this benefit is only temporary. The risk will eventually increase for both men and women,” the doctor adds.

Common symptoms of heart diseases (as per WHO)

Since early detection is the key to saving lives, one should note the symptoms related to heart diseases:

Medical experts consulted This article includes expert inputs shared with TOI Health by: Dr. Harshit Gupta- Senior consultant interventional cardiologist – Regency Hospital, LucknowInputs were used to explain why men are at a higher risk of heart diseases than women.