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Getting the latest healthcare news for you
Getting the latest healthcare news for you
A landmark study found that over 57% of healthy adults aged 18–70 in Denmark and Spain have silent atherosclerosis — detectable plaque in at least one artery — with cases appearing as early as the late teens. Presented at the ESC Congress and published in the NEJM, the REACT study scanned nearly 17,000 people and suggests early detection could help prevent millions of cardiovascular deaths annually.
A massive new study is turning the idea of "healthy" on its head. The REACT study, presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress and simultaneously published in the New England Journal of Medicine, found that more than 57% of nearly 17,000 adults with no known cardiovascular disease already had silent atherosclerosis — arterial plaque detectable via imaging — across at least one vascular territory.
The findings are striking across all age groups. Even among adults aged 18–29, about 1 in 13 already showed detectable disease. By age 50, half of men had developed silent atherosclerosis, while women tended to develop it 5–10 years later — but caught up rapidly from midlife onward.
Key Takeaways:
Why it matters: Cardiovascular disease kills ~20 million people globally each year, and atherosclerosis is the single biggest driver. But experts caution that detecting more disease doesn't automatically mean better outcomes — the critical next step is proving that early intervention actually saves lives.
